Studies on time spent sitting have motivated businesses to consider a standing desk or an adjustable height sit stand desk at the place of traditional settings that include chair and desk/cubicle. Employees spend 62% of their workday in office chairs. 95% of university students spend more than 75% of their class time sitting. Occupational sitting is linked to chronic diseases. It is also known for causing depressive symptoms and anxiety and other psychological health outcomes. Reducing sitting time definitely helps in improving health. This is the reason why many individuals have started using adjustable height desks.
Studies suggest that using a standing desk improves glucose level, increases healthy HDL cholesterol, reduces total cholesterol and improves cardio-metabolic risk scores. This also increases energy expenditure. However, these desks are suitable for occupational and academic use when they have a positive impact on work performance as well. Proper height adjustment of the desk can make it easy to type on the computer. However, no study has examined how a standing desk impacts reading comprehension and creativity. Many occupations do require a certain amount of reading comprehension abilities. Being a student requires the highest amount of reading abilities.
This ability is important for occupational and academic success. Another important ability required for success in many fields of work is creativity. It is required in many industries like marketing, media and publishing, research and development, film industry and so on. A lot of people believe that creativity is a personality trait. However, it is possible to foster this skill with the help of environmental techniques. However, sitting or standing has no effect on creativity.
It is also important to assess the psychological impacts of standing desks as using computers for the long-term may have detrimental psychological impacts on some individuals. However, only limited studies are done in this area. To study its impact on performance, it is critical to assess the expectations of the standing desk users.
Employees in one study express their concern about the impact of standing desks on their focus and productivity. 8% of college students predicted that using standing desks would have a negative impact on their academic performance. Sitting or standing for extended periods of time can have the same impact on health and productivity. Using a standing desk throughout the workday can cause discomfort and fatigue. This also impacts the alertness of the student or worker.
Only one study has examined the link between the psychological state and the use of standing desks. In this 4-week long study, employees reported reduced feelings of confusion, depression, tension and total mood disturbance. They also reported improved mood States.
Using an adjustable height standing desk can help in maintaining a healthy balance between productivity and comfort. To achieve this balance, it is important to be aware of the right way of using an adjustable height standing desk, also known as a sit and stand desk.
Let’s see the do’s and don’ts for using this type of standing desk
Don’t
Don’t expect comfort on the very first day. The human body takes time to adjust, especially if you are going to stand for a majority of the workday. Don’t expect your adjustable height desk to come with additional hardware and accessories.
Do
Buy a standing desk in Australia when sitting all day starts causing discomfort or pain. Consider a variety of positions as standing all day will also cause discomfort or pain. This is the reason why you are investing in an adjustable standing desk.
Don’t
Keeping their health benefits in mind, some people think that this type of standing desks is very expensive. You don’t need to spend a boatload of money to buy an adjustable standing desk. The price of a desk primarily depends on features, material and size. Consider your requirements before choosing a size. You need more surface for monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Do
Buy a desk that supports proper wire management. Even when you are not using a personal computer, you need to manage laptop charger cable, LAN wire, portable hard drive and so on.
Don’t
Avoid footwear with raised heels when you are using a standing desk as this can lead to compromised posture. Instead of providing relief from discomfort and pain in the neck, back and shoulder, a compromised posture causes discomfort. Wear flat-bottom shoes. Standing in only socks or barefoot also helps. Use a rubber mat if the floor itself is unpleasant. Using a standing desk helps only when you are maintaining the right posture.
Do
It does not matter whether you are standing or sitting while working, you must take breaks. A standing desk does save your neck, back and shoulder from ill-effects of sitting all day. You need to protect your eyes as well.
If you are using them correctly, adjustable standing desks do help in increasing comfort, focus and productivity, in addition to health benefits. You can shop both new and used adjustable standing desks from an online store.