For most office workers, the desks that they sit at for at least eight hours a day have never really been something that they have put too much thought into. Desks, and the chairs that go with them, are typically picked by the employer, and other than adjusting the chair’s height the employee has very little say.
The sudden shift to working from home has resulted in people having the freedom to evaluate their desks for the first time and consider whether they are really the best option.
When working from, no one is there to dictate the desk you have to sit at. You can spend half of your workday on the sofa and the other half in bed. In most cases, as long as you are working for a set number of hours and getting the work done, you are completely free to do as you like.
It might be appealing for the first few weeks to spend your days rotating between the sofa and the bed while still in your PJs. However, it is not long before the novelty starts to wear off, and you realize that you are doing your body more harm than good and that you need to invest in a real workstation.
As working from home looks like it is here to stay, people are willing to invest in their long-term comfort and spend a little extra to set up their perfect work from home environment. One of the most important purchases in this process is a desk.
A Desk Is More Than Just A Desk
For those who have spent their entire working life in an office environment, a desk is likely to have nothing more to them than a large table chosen by their employer that they must spend their workday sitting at. However, when choosing your own desk, you quickly become aware of the fact that a desk is not simply a desk.
The most traditional desk that most people will be used to might, in a sense, be merely a table that has had a few drawers and wire holes added to it. When choosing your own desk, there is absolutely no reason to stick with what is considered to be the norm.
Standing desks provide so much more freedom and the ability to truly customize your desk for complete comfort and convenience. A standing desk means that you can easily switch between sitting and standing as the mood strikes you thought the day.
What Makes A Standing Desk So Special?
Despite the evidence that sitting at a desk for eight-plus hours a day, five days a week, is not good for you, it is something we have all been doing for most of our adult lives. Sitting for such a long period of time can lead to chronic pain, a slower metabolism, and a general lack of motivation. A standing desk eliminates all of the problems and can even result in a more productive workday.
Thing great thing about most standing desks is that they are adjustable, meaning that their height can be altered throughout your workday. With a standing desk, you can start your day sitting at your desk while you slowly wake up with a cup of coffee. As the day goes on and you feel your energy levels drop, you can increase the height of your desk and give your legs a much-needed stretch.
While standing desks are beneficial for anyone who works at a desk, they can be a real game-changer for those who are not considered to be an average height. Most desks, and desk chairs, are designed with the average 5”9 male in mind and are sold as a one size fits all product.
Obviously, a 5’3 female is not going to find a desk set up designed for a 5”9 male comfortable. People who are of non-average height have spent decades sitting at desks that are not designed for them quietly suffering. Standing desks mean that no matter what your height or build, you can create the perfect desk setup.
How Standing Desks Benefit Those OF A Non-Average Height
With a normal desk, the height is preset regardless of the height of the person using the desk. The same is typically true for the chairs that are designed to be paired with these desks.
For those that are shorter than the average, it is normal to find yourself struggling to rest your feet on the floor while simultaneously stretching your arms to reach the entirety of your desk. On the other hand, those who are taller than the average are false to scrunch their legs under their desk while hunching their user body over their keyboard. Neither of these situations is ideal.
A standing desk allows the person using it to adjust the height to perfectly match their comfort levels. With a standing desk, people of all heights can easily reach their keyboards, place their feet comfortably on the floor, and prevent the inevitable lower back pain that results in a badly fitted desk.
If you are someone who has always found the traditional style of desk to be uncomfortable, no matter how many different desks, chair combinations you have tried, a standing desk might just be what you need.