It gets pretty confusing, there is so much information out there as to whether we should be standing or sitting when we work. There are more ways than just that too, so what is the best? Well, the answer isn’t a simple one. We have tried to give you a breakdown what some of the most popular ways that people can work and still try and remain healthy are. So before you go out and spend a fortune on a standing desk, let’s have a look at the various possibilities.
Standing desk
The one we all want to know about. Well a standing desk can be ok, but you also have to ask yourself, if standing and working were so great, then why aren’t the people that have to stand all day more healthy. Standing all day can lead to a higher level of heart disease as it is working slightly harder all the time, as well as leg and back pain and various other problems that people that stand all day have. This is especially true if you make the mistake of not moving around and just standing like a statue all day.
Sitting desk
Sitting isn’t really that bad, or bodies are quite happy to do it. Assuming you sit with decent posture. We actually perform some skills better sitting rather than standing. The downside is you are a potato as you sit there all day long and it also isn’t that healthy not to move for long periods of time.
Hybrid
There are desks that can raise form a sitting desk to a standing desk. These desks seem to be the best of both worlds. As long as you move back and forth between the 2. Adding a break and a walk around every 30 minutes or so also helps. This keeps you fairly active and never lets you get stuck in a singular position. If you can afford one of these desks, we would say go for it .
Treadmill
You can also take it to another level and work that standing desk on a treadmill, but this is a little difficult for fine motor dexterity tasks. Ever try and thread a needle while you are walking? While the exercise you get this way is tremendous, there is also such a thing as too much. We would suggest only using a treadmill for part of the time and sitting and standing the rest. Mixing it up seems to be the best way.
Timed breaks
Regardless of what desk system you have, you need to take some breaks. There are some productivity systems such as Pomodoro that break the work process up into segments. You work for a while and as the timer runs out you take a break of a few minutes before you start again. The break is a good time to get the body moving.
Active chairs
Active chairs are also a good possibility for some people. They are chairs that require active muscle engagement to stay seated. Such as sitting on an exercise ball. It doesn’t take too much effort, but it does take a little and makes you actively aware of what you are doing as you sit. Still, though sometimes better than nothing, you still need to take breaks and get up and move around occasionally.
So, though a standing desk can be good, it’s not really that much better than the other alternatives. The best alternative is to use whatever you are more comfortable with and mix it up. Standing, sitting, and walking are things that you should mix up thought your day to be the healthiest and gain the best benefits when you are still stuck at a desk.