After leaving the office with terrible back pain one too many times, you’ve officially decided to switch to a standing desk. Awesome! But where do you start? And how long should you stand during the day? The list of questions can seem endless.
To make the switch to an adjustable desk a bit easier, follow these simple steps to start standing full time:
1. Transition Your Chair
Before you ditch your office chair, hold it! Making the switch to a standing desk is all about timing. There are numerous studies that show how bad sitting is for your health, but standing during the entire work day isn’t ideal. Instead of throwing out your chair altogether, make it a gradual process.
If you have an amazing, cushy office chair, replace it with something that isn’t as comfortable – so you’ll want to stand and stretch every so often. Once you’ve graduated to standing, remove the office chair and replace it with a stool, only to rest your legs and feet while you’re making the complete transition to standing.
We know how someone can develop a love affair with his or her comfy chair, but it’s time to end the relationship and move on. If you can’t bear to see it go, take it home to relax in after a long, productive day of standing.
2. Wear the Appropriate Shoes
If you stand all day once your desk is assembled, your feet and legs will take notice. To combat this problem, make sure to wear comfy shoes while standing behind your adjustable height desk.
Don’t worry about having to sacrifice for fashion – if sneakers simply won’t work with office attire, just keep them in your office to change into once you feel your feet start to ache. Sneakers are even more important if you invest in a treadmill desk, no one wants to be the guy or girl with an injury from tripping over their shoes while walking!
3. Use a Floor Mat
Think about adding in extra comfortable accessories when you switch to a standing desk. A floor mat is a great option, since it cushions your feet and offers support. The type and brand depend on you and your budget, as some can get pretty expensive. The GelPro mats are a place to start. You may not want to go back to anything else once your feet rest on this gel-filled beauty.
4. Start Slow
As mentioned, starting gradually is the key to switch to a standing desk full time. Once your office chair and mat are in place, stand for 15 minute intervals and sit for 30. When you’re ready, switch to standing 30 minutes and take a break every 15. The constant shift may seem unnatural at first, but pretty soon it’ll be a normal reflex.
To help move things along, set a timer on your phone or computer to remind you to stand. Once standing at your adjustable height desk becomes easier, set higher goals. Stand for an hour, or sit down after you finish a lengthy task.
5. Standing Full Time
If you start slow, one day you may find yourself standing the entire work day! Those days will continue to increase the more you make gradual transitions at your adjustable height desk. After you’ve switched to standing the entire work day, you’ll notice better productivity and less fatigue.
While standing full time, focus on your posture, keep your shoulders back and feet shoulder width apart. Along with posture, position your arms at a 90 degree angle when typing. The NextSpace Ergonomic Keyboard Platform will help with this, since it adjusts and swivels according to the user’s needs. And your computer screen should remain at eye level between 20 and 40 inches away from your eyes (to help prevent eyestrain).
