31–40 of 47 posts
I use my desk in sitting mode most of the time. Of course, I've been breaking up my working day with a 45 minute run in the middle, but it's still great to have the option sometimes to stand.
It doesn't make much sense for us to work a set number of hours, anyway, since most tech jobs aren't repetitive labor, they're projects which can take anywhere between 15 minutes and two months. I'd rather just work less hours, have a more dynamic schedule, or just take an hour or two in the middle of the day to go climb a tree.
The main difference I found say compared toa cashier is that you barely move. You don't twist side to side and so on. This might seem small but it's important.
The biggest issue though is that if you're doing a startup with long hours you need to be very careful. Like everything else overdoing anything is bad.
I've tried standing desks a few times and what I've found is that if your going to work more than regular hours it's a bad idea. That is you should not stand more than 8 hours a day for 5 days a week. And even then that should be punctuated by breaks such as lunch, meetings, etc. The main difference I found say compared toa cashier is that you barely move. You don't twist side to side and so on. This might seem small…
Mix it up, feel better.
Summary: a guy with an undiscovered previous injury aggravated it with a lifestyle change, and now it's on the front page of HN scaring people away from living a healthier (less-sitting) lifestyle. You have one unfortunate story, but I have the opposite positive story. As usual, it means that people are not all the same - and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. What's your bodyweight? Are you car…
I think if we take the mid-point between your story and his, we're getting there. Everything in moderation. That means sitting is fine and standing is fine, just not too much excess of either. My wife, an ex-carer, knows a number of athletic people who have very serious problems in their 50s and 60s as they've worn their hips and spine out. Conversely she knows a number of people with diabetes and heart problems in t…
I'm pretty sure chairs were invented for a reason.
I've tried standing desks a few times and what I've found is that if your going to work more than regular hours it's a bad idea. That is you should not stand more than 8 hours a day for 5 days a week. And even then that should be punctuated by breaks such as lunch, meetings, etc. The main difference I found say compared toa cashier is that you barely move. You don't twist side to side and so on. This might seem small…
The recommendation I've seen from others before building my standing desk, and certainly the pattern I follow, is to alternative sitting and standing. My desk is set up for a standing situation, but I can undock my laptop and sit at any time. Some days I stand 65% of the time, some days I stand 10% of the time. Mix it up, feel better.
Has anyone looked into some sort of walking desk? Over a treadmill? It seems like that would alleviate the problems with standing.
My father-in-law works (and stands) on street market for past 40 years. He is in similar shape as other man in his age. So I think there is no miracle here, just some physical work and exercise.
I'm a teacher and in term time in classes (6h a day usually) I'm not sitting much at all, but then I'm not standing in one place much either. No issues as yet...