Whether it’s in an office or at a desk at home, most people spend their lives sitting down. Hours upon hours are spent sitting down and this can have harmful effects on one’s body such as weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
But how can you counter the negative side effects of sitting down while you work? Simple, you stand up!
Standing/ “sit-stand” desks, allow students and employees alike to stay on their toes for at least two hours a day (making sure to take sitting breaks in between), and not only counter the negative side effects of sitting but reap the benefits of standing while working as well.
Combined with regular exercise, standing desks may leave a positive impact on both your physical and mental well-being.
Standing desks have been found to help lower blood sugar levels and lessen back and neck pain while working. Don’t forget that standing also burns more calories as compared to sitting. It may not lead to immediate massive changes, but it is still much more calories burned versus sitting down, in the long run.
Standing desks have also been linked with improved moods and increased energy levels, lessening feelings of fatigue, and even boosting productivity.
There are many customizable and ready-made standing desk set-ups and accessories available to purchase, but it is also possible to create a DIY set-up and save some money in the process.
First thing’s first: Do you have legs for days?
There are various standing desk set-ups, it is essential that you find the best one for you to be able to reap all the benefits that a standing desk has to offer. When creating your set-up, you must consider the ideal height measurements required in order to prevent any sense of discomfort or strain when using your standing desk.
Here’s a diagram that may serve as a format to help you begin planning your DIY set-up and list down any other factors (e.g., sufficient materials) you may need to consider.
Use what you have
If you look around you more closely, it may be possible that you don’t even need to build a set-up, all you must do is be a little bit creative. You may use tall dressers, adding platforms at the bottom of your computer screen to give it more height.
You may even use the top shelves of bookcases as your new standing desk workspace. Get creative with your DIY standing desk set-up!
Add to the top or to the bottom
Another option is to take your current desk and choose to create attachments to be placed on its top or at the bottom of it. Bust out all the books and/or boxes that you can (ilabas na lahat ng mga balikbayan boxes diyan), make sure to check the stability of your set-up before risking the life of your laptop or computer.
Ease into it
It may take some time to adjust to the new work set-up, alternate between sitting and standing to find the perfect time intervals that work best for you, that adds to your work flow rather than interrupts it.
It may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but why not try it out just to have a taste? Spice up your second half of the year by experimenting with a new work desk set-up while simultaneously taking better care of your health!
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