Standing desks for the rest of us

A colleague recently said he might buy a standing desk. As an experienced standing desk worker, I immediately sent him unsolicited advice.

I work in content. Long emails are easy.

Many of us are considering a gift for our home office as Xmas approaches. I suspect he isn't alone in his desire to stand and work.

#standingdesk is going to trend. I give it a week, tops.

So, below is a copy and paste of the advice I offered him. I think its value lies in the following:

(a) It's stuff you don't seem to get told anywhere else; and

(b) It's advice from an overweight middle-aged guy (me). From my initial research, it really did feel as if most people preaching about standing desks are those who don't get through a day without bending backwards in a yoga position. They're just... More capable than the rest of us.

You need to sit, often

You need one that can be both a regular sitting desk, and standing desk. You need to mix sitting and standing anyway throughout your working day – too much of either is bad.

My middle-aged bones have never got past more than 3pm when standing all day. Indeed, 2-3pm seems a natural point to switch. 

The desktop contraptions that merely raise your laptop on a normal desk surface aren’t going to cut it. I made my own thing like this initially based on Ikea bits and pieces. It just didn’t work for all kinds of reasons.

Get a good quality standing mat

A standing mat is mandatory. These are also known as anti-fatigue mats.

Honestly, if there's only one piece of advice you take home from this, make it this one.

Those of us who've only ever worn the white collar at work may never have heard of standing mats. But in places where people both stand and work, like factories, they're very common.

Try to get a standing mat that people say is so soft that it’s like standing on clouds. Check the Amazon reviews.

Mine’s made by Stanley (of the knife fame). It's very large, which is also important because I can move around (and shuffling while standing is common).

Mine cost more than I thought was worth it at the time (something like ￡40). But this was a classic situation where I’m glad I didn’t revert to cheaping-out.

Avoid the ones with bubble textures or cut-out holes. Just get one that’s flat.

Don't cheap-out by getting something like a foam doormat. It won't work (I tried).

How to stand while you work

I find standing in bare feet works best. But I’m classically flat-footed and have been since being a child. Some people have suggested that it's vital to wear a decent pair of outdoor shoes (not slippers!) while standing, so certainly try that as well.

As mentioned, I tend to shift a lot while working, even standing on one leg sometimes like a stork. Feels fine to me.

There was a little adjustment at first in muscles/bones. I did feel it in my legs and back a little, but I wouldn’t say it was ever anywhere near painful. You might find popping a few Ibuprofen for the first few days helps get over the hump (I did this).

Incidentally, standing uses more energy, at least initially (for me, at least). If I'm wearing a sweater while sitting, I usually have to take it off when standing because my body is generating more heat.

High stool

I bought one of these thinking I'd need it. I didn't. Some people use them though, to half-sit on while standing to alleviate the stress. But I think they're probably doing it wrong somehow if they need to do that. Just lower the desk and sit for a while. Don't push yourself stupidly hard.

Which one to buy

They're expensive, compared to nearly any kind of regular desk.

Ikea made headlines a few years ago for producing ones that weren't stupidly expensive. Indeed, mine is one of these: a Skarsta hand-cranked standing desk. It's around ￡200, which is again much more costly than an equivalent Ikea desk. But it's good. Sturdy. Even when up.

It takes around 30 seconds to crank it up, or down.

Many people prefer electric ones because there's no cranking, of course, but these also learn your optimal height so it's perfect each time. You just press a button. But these are typically expensive.

Personally, I know when the hand-cranked Skarsta is at the right height because, as it happens, my desk chair then slides neatly underneath with a centimetre or two of clearance.

Optimal height

The standard rules of workplace ergonomics apply, which is that your elbows should bend at 90 degrees while you type, and the top of your monitor should line-up with the top of your ears. A standalone keyboard is probably better than using your laptop's keyboard. I formerly had my laptop on a posh stand, but that got lost in a house move. Now it's just propped up with books.

Be careful when positioning the desk because things like monitors need clearance when the desk is raised. I have monitors mounted on arms, for example, and had to pull the desk away from the wall to avoid hitting a sloped ceiling.

Does it work?

Yes. When I’m in the mood it feels amazing. I really do feel energised. But I do have to be in the mood. More often I opt to slump in the chair and grind away on the keyboard – which is why you really need to be able to very quickly switch from standing to sitting without fuss. I can go months without using the standing feature, and then use it non-stop for weeks. If nothing else, I love having the freedom to choose.