Who The Hell Uses A Standing Desk?
I do.
I honestly thought using a standing desk was nonsense, even after seeing this infographic months ago:
Click for the full-sized image.
As someone who spends HOURS every day on the computer for work, I knew I couldn’t keep sitting and slouching like I usually do all day. Sure, I go all out in my CrossFit WOD’s, but I really do spend a lot of my time in front of the computer.
A few days ago, I came across the infographic again and really thought about my daily routine outside the box…and shit.
Re-reading all those facts in that infographic was just downright scary. Sitting like that for so long every day just adds up. It obviously isn’t good for my health. On top of that, my posture takes a hit in the later hours of my day.
No bueno.
What Do I Have To Lose?
Yeah, I was thinking of following this tutorial for building a standing desk with stuff from IKEA for $22, but I thought of being creative today since today was an off day from the gym.
With the help of a piano chair, a bunch of hardcover books from college that I couldn’t sell, and a shitload of outdated, uber-geeky computer books, I managed to hack this together:
Pretty ghetto, huh?
To help my feet out a bit through the day, I even dug up my old yoga mat from my P90X days.
How’s The Standing Desk So Far?
As expected, it’s not that comfortable, although I know my feet and calves will eventually adjust. It’s like the transition from wearing thicker running shoes to a minimalist shoe like the New Balance Minimus MX20.
At first, you question if you’ve made the right decision, then after a week or so, it seems like the best decision you’ve ever made.
Now Again…Why A Standing Desk?
For one, standing while doing work could possibly improve my productivity. A bunch of other guys I know who also work from home have said good things about it, so why not give it a shot? After a long sesh in my office chair, especially when I start to slouch, I get lazy. It’ll be interesting to see how this desk setup works for me.
And of course, the main reason I wanted to try this out is for my own health.
Sitting at my desk all day most likely is slowing down my progress. If I can see any direct improvements in my CrossFitting and in my physical results, then I’m all for this standing desk “nonsense.”
What Do You Guys Think?
At times, I do miss having a nitty-gritty, part-time summer job where I was doing a lot of hands-on work. I was just more active then. Sure, most of the time, I’d be sweating my ass off and making only a little bit of cash, but back then it seemed so much easier to get into shape.
Maybe the constant sitting has been the downfall of my recent lifestyle?
Regardless, I’m going to Kip It Real and try this out for a few weeks. I’ll play things by ear.
