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A standing desk for $22

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Re: A standing desk for $22

#151

Post by idleloops »

felideon wrote: post #148
idleloops wrote: post #142

At home I use a keyboard stand (or rather a stand designed for an electric piano), it's adjustable for both sitting and standing, and you can easily put it away.

Wait, what do you put on top of it to hold the (presumably) laptop? I say 'presumably' as you usually need two heights on standing desks: one for the keyboard and one for the monitor which should be higher.

I use a couple of belts, that I can adjust to exactly the right length - to get a good height. The laptop sits in that like a dream and makes for a good laptop desk. With a desktop PC - I just sit the monitor somewhere practical, the keyboard spans the stand it just rests there.

My main desk is actually a drop leaf table. I sit my desktop PC on it. When sitting, the monitor is placed in front of the PC. When standing the monitor goes on top of the PC, and I drop the desk bit.

Something like this: http://janeharrop.co.uk/images/12thimages/12th_utility_drop_...

I'd actually prefer a drop leaf that I could hide the PC in. But currently the PC serves as a good stand for the monitor. It also makes the PC very accessible. The trickier part of my setup is accommodating a mouse. But I could just place a board on the piano/keyboard stand.

Re: A standing desk for $22

#152

Post by charlieok »

I think being able to switch easily between sitting and standing throughout the day beats having to do either one alone for long periods of the time, hands down.

Wish this were standard practice in the corporate world. Seems like a relatively cheap way to improve health/ergonomics.

Re: A standing desk for $22

#153

Post by fghh45sdfhr3 »

grannyg00se wrote: post #111
reedlaw wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt that eating less and getting less exercise will really lead to longer life. It would be hard to measure such a thing, but my guess is that with less exercise and eating there would be a corresponding decline in happiness which alone could knock years off a person's life.

Calorie restriction is actually one of the fiew proven longevity tricks. In mice anyway. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorie_restriction But I don't subscribe to the "live long an weak" mentality. I believe that your body is healthier and more capable when well nourished and physically strong. I'm 6'2" 190lbs and continually trying to gain muscle mass.

Calorie restriction is actually one of the fiew proven longevity tricks.

Nothing proven about it.

In mice anyway.

Not exactly. The calorie restricted mice do live longer unless they get an infection or some other unexpected source of stress, then they die at much grater rates. It is as if they have no reserves.

In humans calorie restriction is absolutely and utterly unproven.

Humans and mice are very different. They are tiny short lived animals, and we are large long lived animals. That is why a lot of the cancer cures you hear about in mice don't work in humans. Because often we already are born with them. There are known tumor suppressing genes, humans have more copies of them than mice, elephants have even more.

This is why it is not reasonable to assume that simple hacks like calorie restriction, which work in mice... sort of, will also work in humans.

A health diet and exercise on the other hand, have been proven to work in humans.

Re: A standing desk for $22

#154

Post by fghh45sdfhr3 »

continuations wrote: post #116
reedlaw wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I doubt that eating less and getting less exercise will really lead to longer life. It would be hard to measure such a thing, but my guess is that with less exercise and eating there would be a corresponding decline in happiness which alone could knock years off a person's life.

> I doubt that eating less and getting less exercise will really lead to longer life. It does. Calorie Restriction is pretty much the only proven way to extend life and slow down the aging process.

Calorie Restriction is pretty much the only proven way to extend life and slow down the aging process.

The only source for this I've seen so far is the wikipedia page and according to it: There are ongoing studies on whether CR works in primates.

So unless you are a yeast or a fish, it is not proven.

Exercise and a healthy diet on the hand are proven.

Re: A standing desk for $22

#155

Post by Goronmon »

Some tips from my experience with a standing desk for the last few years.

- Get a chair tall enough that you can comfortably sit in and work at your desk. I have never been able to stand for an entire day.

- Get a separate footstool that is high enough to work with the above chair. Being separate you can use it as a way to reposition your legs while standing (ie. putting one leg up on the stool) so that you aren't standing in the exact same position all day.

- Either get a decent mat for standing, or make sure you have shoes you can comfortably stand in. I haven't had to use a mat yet personally.

Re: A standing desk for $22

#156

Post by recycleme »

If you work in a cubicle and your desk is attached to the walls, get a screwdriver and a co-worker (optional) to help you adjust it to a comfortable standing height. I did it and it was easy and free!

Re: A standing desk for $22

#157

Post by pavel_lishin »

rogerbinns wrote: post #35
imperialWicket wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Drafting chairs work well - though it adds to the cost of the 'desk'.

I never understood why everyone wants desks that raise an lower, instead of just using the drafting chairs thereby avoiding any raise/lower mechanism.

Simple explanation: I honestly never thought of it.

Re: A standing desk for $22

#158

Post by pavel_lishin »

onecreativenerd wrote: post #3
pavel_lishin wrote: post #2

The problem with these solutions is that when you get tired, you get to disassemble this sucker.

The height of the shelf is perfect for sitting. You can put a laptop/monitor on it and the keyboard below for some variety.

I don't particularly want to have to move my two monitors, and laptop, and keyboard and mouse, every time I get tired. :/

Re: A standing desk for $22

#159

Post by recycleme »

goodside wrote: post #54

I used to be an advocate of the standing desk. I bought an adjustable-height Fredrik workstation from Ikea, tried multiple heights to find the most comfortable, and stuck with it for six months. It didn't work. Even after months of practice, I found it harder to concentrate while standing and doing it any longer than a few hours would invariably result in back pain. I found myself turning to "sitting tasks" like movi…

A stand-up desk is not for everyone.

I've been doing it for close to a month and I'm enjoying it. One of the best benefits that I get from it is not feeling any afternoon drowsiness. I take sitting breaks when I feel like it. It feels good to have a choice between sitting and standing.

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