A recent BigSpeak article featured the benefits of the office trend that’s sweeping through corporate America: standing desks.
Last year the NHS described inactivity as being “twice as deadly as obesity,” and that sitting down all day at work was a major problem. In 2015, even the White House made the switch over to standing desks, ordering $700,000 worth of desks for White House staff.
Proponents of standing desks believe it may help combat the ills of sedentary sitting desk lifestyle. Standing desk users say that it has given them more energy, increased productivity, diminished shoulder and back pain, and even helped them lose a few pounds.
Increased productivity
A study at Texas A&M University found that employees who used sit-stand desks were 46% more productive than those who used traditional desks.
Diminished back and shoulder pain
A study published by the CDC found that the use of a sit-stand desk reduced upper back and neck pain by 54% after just 4 weeks.
Standing may be healthier
Research suggests that sitting for too long can mess up your body’s metabolism of sugar and fat, which can contribute to diabetes and heart disease.
Increased focus
While standing, you feel a sense of urgency which causes you to be focused on the completion of tasks. This works ideally when you’re working with tasks where you know what the outcome should be, and it’s just a matter of completing it.
Sitting vs. standing for tasks that require intense concentration
For tasks which require intense focus or creativity then the urgency provided by standing is more of a hindrance. For creative tasks, sitting is helpful in letting your mind wander and explore creative options.
Fouad Abdul Baki recently made the switch to a standing desk and said, “the first day I used my standing desk, I felt like it was the most productive day I have ever had. I don’t usually stand for the whole day, but alternate between sitting and standing depending on how my back feels. The biggest things I have noticed are the subtle adjustments to my posture, and my increased productivity.”
All in all, standing desks clearly do have benefits but it seems that whether working happily with a standing desk comes down to personal preference, and the type of work that is being done.
