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Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

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Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#121

I've been using a standing desk at work for about a year and a half now. I stand all day, except for meetings and lunch. I'm definitely a fan; I just ordered a standing desk for home. Regarding concentration, I'm reminded of an interesting article about concentration and standing desks: https://qz.com/957311/why-cant-i-focus-using-a-standing-desk... "When standing in an office—especially one where others are sitting—…

If you don't mind me asking, how tall are you?

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#122
I moved to a standing desk seven years ago and love it. Here are a few tips for the transition:

* Start slow. If possible, alternate standing and sitting on a comfortable interval while your legs and back get used to being engaged more.

* Bring your monitor(s) up to eye-level. If you are looking down at a laptop while standing, your neck and upper back will suffer. Search for laptop risers and get an external keyboard and mouse.

* Make a point to sit down for lunch. That short break makes a big difference in standing for the rest of the day.

* To change up my stance, I have a sturdy shelf built in to my desk that I can put a foot up on. Try a stepping stool if your desk doesn’t have one.

* Get an anti-fatigue mat. It will save your feet and knees from unnecessary strain.

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#123

I've been using a standing desk at work for about a year and a half now. I stand all day, except for meetings and lunch. I'm definitely a fan; I just ordered a standing desk for home. Regarding concentration, I'm reminded of an interesting article about concentration and standing desks: https://qz.com/957311/why-cant-i-focus-using-a-standing-desk... "When standing in an office—especially one where others are sitting—…

If you don't mind me asking, how tall are you?

6 feet.

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#124
I've been working at a standing desk for a year now made of two study card board boxes. Looms ugly, but is at a very comfortable height, and so have declined offers to buy me a 'real' standing desk.

I usually alternate standing and sitting in 80+% standing / 20-% sitting split. I ront feel guilty when I go home and sit on the couch for a bit, my intestines and other organs feel much better now after standing as sitting prolonged hours seemed to squeeze them leading to discomfort. So overall I feel better. Much better.

Initializing a spout of heavy concentration can be difficult while standing up, but once I get going I lose myself in to it.

But I also recommend once every 30 minutes doing some frantic jumping or whatever to move you heart rate up for a minute or two. A timer is good for that.

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#125

I purchased a standing desk about a year ago. I've found that I use it a lot less than I thought I would. On average, I spend about 1 hour a day standing. Why? - I find it difficult to stand for long periods of time, much more difficult than walking or running for the same duration of time. I tend to get tired of standing after about 40 minutes, and just want to sit down. I can run for hours. - I find it more difficu…

Not just you. A few years back, I served as a docent for a week-long introductory course in bioinformatics tooling - almost all of which time I spent standing, and very little of it moving around. It was exhausting, and it hurt . I can do ten miles on foot in a day, up and down hills, through streams, and generally all over creation - and even so feel better the next morning than if I spent the same time standing sti…

I'm so perplexed by the other people in this thread who are commenting that they stand 4-6 hours, or even all day. The dramatically different experience we have makes me think there must be some physiological component that makes standing still for long periods more difficult for some, than others.

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#126

I've been using a LifeSpan treadmill desk for the last 5 years. I probably walk 1500+ miles each year on the treadmill, usually 4-5 hours a day (weekdays only) @ 1.5-2MPH. It's absolutely amazing, and it's so habitual now that I have a harder time concentrating when I'm not walking and typing (my legs get really restless). A really nice side benefit is when I go running or hiking, even after a long spell of not runni…

Any concern about needing knee/hip replacements at some point from all the extra walking? I've been thinking about a treadmill desk but worry about damaging my joints.

The damage from walking on the soft surface of a treadmill is... negligible. The extra pounds you'd be putting on without that walking will wreak way more havoc than the walking.

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#127

I purchased a standing desk about a year ago. I've found that I use it a lot less than I thought I would. On average, I spend about 1 hour a day standing. Why? - I find it difficult to stand for long periods of time, much more difficult than walking or running for the same duration of time. I tend to get tired of standing after about 40 minutes, and just want to sit down. I can run for hours. - I find it more difficu…

Did you use a standing mat too? Like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A64ERKY

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#128
Standing desks work best when used with a treadmill specifically designed for and optimized for walking. Standing for long periods, especially on hard flat floors, will also cause problems (an anti-fatigue pad beneath your feet will help with that). Being able to stand and move with a steady slow pace imparts the greatest benefit and avoids the problems of standing. And even with a treadmill, there are tasks you'll do better sitting. Alternating sitting and standing, and often walking while standing, feels great. Our ancestors evolved to walk and run long distances with varied movements to gather food and hunt, not to stand in one place for hours looking straight ahead or straight down.

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#129

I purchased a standing desk about a year ago. I've found that I use it a lot less than I thought I would. On average, I spend about 1 hour a day standing. Why? - I find it difficult to stand for long periods of time, much more difficult than walking or running for the same duration of time. I tend to get tired of standing after about 40 minutes, and just want to sit down. I can run for hours. - I find it more difficu…

Standing for long periods is much more difficult than walking.

Re: Ask HN: How is your standing desk working for you?

#130

I purchased a standing desk about a year ago. I've found that I use it a lot less than I thought I would. On average, I spend about 1 hour a day standing. Why? - I find it difficult to stand for long periods of time, much more difficult than walking or running for the same duration of time. I tend to get tired of standing after about 40 minutes, and just want to sit down. I can run for hours. - I find it more difficu…

Did you use a standing mat too? Like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A64ERKY

No, I don't. My understanding is that the mats are for reducing foot pain? I don't really have any foot pain.

Standing for long periods is just generally uncomfortable and exhausting for me. I find that I end up resting my weight on one leg, because it's less fatiguing than standing.

I know what I would be thinking if I were you - This guy must be so out of shape if he can't even stand at a desk for a few hours!

That's what's so confusing about all this to me... I'm not overweight (BMI of ~19), I exercise 4-5 times a week, I eat healthy... I just find standing for long periods to be difficult and uncomfortable. But I would really like to do it more, because I do have back pain at night, and standing DOES help reduce that. So... maybe I should get one of those mats, just to see if it helps?

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