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Ask Slashdot: What's Your Take On Stand-Up Desks?
An anonymous reader writes "I work at a non-profit that doesn't have the resources to automatically bend to each and every whim. However, I've been told that I can't use a cardboard box to put my computer on, for OSHA and fire prevention reasons. So the choice is, sit down for nine hours each day or else get a standup desk to the tune of 500 bucks or more. Is this worth it? Can I make one myself? Anything to know before I get in deep?" There are lots of home-grown stand-up desks out there (search IKEA Hackers for "stand-up desk" if that's your aesthetic leaning), and some ready-made ones from plainish to very expensive. If you've used a stand-up desk, what are your thoughts?
Have you looked in the trash? People throw out perfectly fine furniture all the time. I picked up an extremely sturdy carpenter-built bookcase in the trash. It didn't have shelves but I found enough particle board to make shelves.
Why not use a wooden or metal box?
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
And a normal desk.
sit down, do your job. is that so hard?
Or bricks? Or cinder blocks?
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
That I get tired of standing and want to sit down... That's my take.
They are nice for a workbench but not a computer desk unless you're always moving between several different stations. Stock Market stuff comes to mind.
In the end, sitting for 9 hours is bad but also standing for 9 hours is bad. Need to find that middle road and balance it out.
...like anything else. People with certain back conditions find sitting for any length of time would probably relish the idea of being able to stand at work for the entire period - while others would find it akin to torture to stand for nine hours straight. Sitting puts pressure on the base of your spine, but standing on hard floors is pressure on your feet and knees. Six of one, half dozen of the other.
As long as your aren't FORCED to use a stand-up desk because someone figures they take up less space or that it prevents you from falling asleep at work; then they can be a good thing. If it's a half-baked idea at further cost effective micro-management bullshit - then count me out. And set that manager on fire. Now.
Get a stool to take the occasional 'rest' while still at the desk.
$500? just for a desk with longer legs? Buy a shop work bench, or a lab table, if you don't want to make your own.
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
You said:
Sorry, but what about just standing up to stretch and walk around every few minutes? I hack code at a traditional desk, but I'm certainly not chained to my chair. Walk around, go to the water cooler, talk to your peers, go outside for lunch. Even if you had a stand-up desk you should still move around a little.
Koans and fables for the software engineer
Don't have to choose one or the other -- you can easily and cheaply have both.
Just get a wood box (several styles, colors, prices available) to hold a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Set it on your desk. Just use a KVM to switch from your current sit down PC to your stand up PC. Then you can sit for awhile, then stand for awhile. Total flexibility and expandability without breaking the bank. My box is like a lectern box so I can put books and papers in it, thus not loosing any valuable desk space.
Is that what people stand behind to give speeches like at the conventions?
Drafting table -- you can get them new for ~150 up and cheaper used, if you look around. Most are adjustable. Get a tall enough stool and you'll be able to sit down from time to time and keep working.
Make sure to get a standing desk that can adjust, and yes I consider them necessary for long-hours shifts now that I've been using one. They make a huge difference in my health, both my co-workers and I have lost weight just standing a few hours a day, and much less aches and pains too. About 1/3 of our staff that has them don't use them.
Egrotron makes an interesting looking device (http://www.ergotron.com/tabid/640/Default.aspx) that can convert nearly any desk to a sit/stand workstation. I'm contemplating buying one for myself to use at work (and taking it with me when the time comes to change jobs).
I have one of these at work:
http://www.geekdesk.com/default.asp?contentID=633
They are definitely pricey, but being able to switch between standing and sitting throughout the day is really the ideal way to go. I tried standing 100% of the time before I got this desk and it ended up being very tiring on some days.
The desks at my work are on hydraulics, so they can be raised or lowered at will. It's great to be able to raise your desk and stand for a while after sitting for a couple hours, but I wouldn't want to have to be forced to stand all the time.
The desks get high enough that I can push my high-backed office chair underneath it, and low enough to get probably two feet or so off the ground. It's a great compromise between having to sit or stand the entire day.
I've been experimenting with the concept for a few months now. Thus far, I've been very happy with the process.
Stage #1 was just elevating my desk with some cinder blocks. I stand at an even 6'. That's really convenient, as 16" of cinder blocks elevates a standard desk to a perfect height for me. A bar stool is ideal when you need to switch it up.
Stage #2 was elevating my monitors a bit more than usual. I find that in a standing position, I really prefer the monitors about 8" higher than the keyboard.
Stage #3 was adding a treadmill. I found that consumer treadmills aren't geared to run as slowly as you need for typing. They run very "jerky" as low speeds.
Stage #4 was a spinning bike. I chose a spinning model as they sit proportionally tall compared to a regular exercise bike. The handlebars are easily removable (I run it without handlebars, to make it fit better). It's been great thus far.
I'm planning on going a few more months, then will likely purpose-build. I'm still making sure that I know exactly what I like before continuing.
No offense but when did people stop being resourceful? This doesn't seem to be a question that required a forum to address it.
"I can't use a cardboard box to put my computer on,"
OK. Protip: the make boxes out of other material.
What does that have to do with:
"So the choice is, sit down for nine hours each day or else get a standup desk to the tune of 500 bucks or more"
"Can I make one myself?"
How the fuck would we know? Can you make a desk with long legs that's stable?
Do you have cubes that allow you to mound a desk to it?
Do you have a health reason for standing? then do so. If not, then sit. Get up every two hours and walk for a minute or two.
Stand up desk is a typical solution made up by people who don't think.
Sitting for long hours is bad? Well then we should stand for long hours instead.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Even better than just a stand up desk. For $500, get a simple walking treadmill, and then you can amble along at 1 MPH and burn off an extra fifty to 100 calories an hour. Better for every inch of your body.
Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
for OSHA and fire prevention reasons.
Employers like to spew a lot of BS about OSHA and "fire codes". Virtually none of it has the slightest basis in reality.
That said, you generally can't "win" battles like that. Even if you brought in a notarized statement from your town's fire marshal ok'ing your use of a cardboard box, your petulant HR "make up codes as we go" weenie would just make your life hell as payback.
So... Make 'em spend the money, simple as that. And don't get just a stand-up desk, get one of the ones that has the glidey hydraulic things to smoothly give you any height you want (standing all day will do you almost as much harm as sitting all day, you want to change it up every now and then).
I just moved to a stand up desk last week. Absolutely love it. I design and code websites, so I have a pretty stationary type of job. Standing up, I move a lot more. I also have an adjustable stool, so if I need to rest my legs for a bit, I can without having to adjust my desk.
I have also noticed that the afternoon wall has completely disappeared. You know, the one where you are struggling to focus - or maybe even stay awake. Never happens.
There are plenty of articles out there about standing vs. sitting, as I did a bunch of research before making the switch. To summarize: Standing is better than sitting, but mixing it up is the best. This doesn't mean fully sitting down - the stool I use is a great example. But you do need to be able to change position for a bit, because being in one position for 8-9 hours a day is bad.
The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe.
OSHA is going to have issues (at least here in California) with anything that sits on top of the desk. Here they become missile hazards when the earth shakes, The heavier the box, the less chance you will survive the experience.
People who stand all day at work tend to develop varicose veins. And I have seen it in people in their early twenties - it's not pretty. Sit when you need to, walk around to think, have swordfights while your code compiles (http://xkcd.com/303/), don't take lunch at your desk, take breaks, invest in those highly expensive chairs. All elementary precautions really. I don't know how standing for nine hours will be anything but tortuous.
There's lots of various options for building an easy standup desk, especially if you're close to an Ikea. An easy solution is to stop by Ikea and pick up some Malm side tables and trim to height. That worked well enough for a while, eventually I wanted something better.
The solution was to pick up a used Ikea Jerker desk off Craigslist. I work at that most of the time and when my feet need a rest I'll switch to a small table that's close by. Total cost: $50 and it works great.
That said, it weirds out some people at work how I work standing up. I can't imagine what they'll think once I move in a treadmill.
My Slashdot account is old enough to drink...
"sit down for nine hours each day or else get a standup desk"
This is an easy one. Sit down for nine hours a day like 99.99999% of the rest of the office workforce. If you want to stand out and be cool in a slightly eccentric way but can't sit in one of those horrible Balans chairs from the 90s for more than an hour, don't get a stand up desk. It's worse than a Balans chair. Consider something like wearing toe shoes and hemp utilikilts to the office instead. Pretty much exactly the same effect, only you won't get tired.
The scientist in me says they likely have some merit but the cynic in me says they're the stupid corporate fad of the moment.
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
>> Can I make one myself?
If you have to ask, the answer is probably no.
For one thing, even with a sit-down desk, you shouldn't be sitting in front of it for nine hours. What I do is I set a countdown timer for an hour or so. When it rings, I get up and walk around the floor, hit the bathroom, fill up my water bottle, maybe step outside for a few minutes and experience sunlight. But you really have to train yourself to do it, and stick to getting up when it goes off. I find that it improves my work, because it forces me to step away from immediate problems and think about things in a larger context while I'm taking my little walk. I get back to my desk eager (usually) to continue work, and energized from getting my blood flowing. If your employer is so concerned about OSHA, then they should know that OSHA recommends frequent rest breaks for employees who sit at computer desks all day.
To me, one of the most important things about a standing desk is that you need to pay attention to the ergonomics of the floor and your footwear. My building has concrete floors with low-pile carpet. If I stood all day at a desk on this surface, my feet would kill by the end of the day. You potentially need a floor mat that provides more support than a solid floor. Think of the kinds of surfaces that workers on manufacturing lines stand on all day. You also want some kind of low platform or stool (preferably two of different heights, or one that you can flip onto a different side to change its height) that you can use to put one foot up on for periods, adjust your stance and weight distribution. Finally, you'll want to pay attention to the shoes that you wear, to make sure that you're getting the support that your feet need for you to be standing on them all day. There's a reason they call beat cops 'flat-foor'.
So. Sorry for the text wall. But those are some considerations.
First thing is to ensure your monitor can tilt far enough whether sitting or standing. Most can, but it's a good thing to verify first. After that, it's simple. All you need is a stand that can hold keyboard/mouse and then tilt the monitor to what is comfortable. I built mine out of a $12 piece of bookshelf board from Menards. A few drywall screws and then you can pull it when you need to sit down.
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I get a sore back from standing in once place for extended periods of time. I can walk for 8 hours, without a problem, but stand for 30 minutes and I'm going to have to sit down gently because my back is yelling at me.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
relies on your sense of humor - humerus bone, that is...
You'll be on your elbows, leaning, thinking and supporting your upper torso alot.
At my last job I was using a stand up desk for about 6 months and loved it. The thing about a stand up desk is that you can sit down in a chair if you need to take a break, the chair is just a bit taller to accomodate the size of the desk. The key is to make sure that the desk is the right height or you will be VERY uncomfortable.
Wake me up when someone offers a desk I can use while lying down with back flat on the floor.
Then I'll most likely fall back asleep...
Is the standup desk craze that intense, now, that people can't even work without one? How did civilization even advance over the past 1000 years--since the advent of clerical work?
I've had several desks, and to be honest, it seems pretty common to spend at least 500 bucks on a standard desk. If you're looking for "commercial quality" like steel case, they can easily surpass 1,000 dollars for a metal and plastic rectangular desk.
I used to work for the government, and. Since they had on-site "health and safety" regulators, it was easy to get a different style desk. Several people had the electronic high-low desks that allowed for sitting or standing heights (careful with your cable management!).
About ten years ago, I started a job as a contractor for a large bank, in a brand new building. It was complete with huge offices and thousand dollar chairs for the 25-year old "executives" in the building. I was shown my "office" (server room), which literally had a desk made from cardboard dell boxes and shipping tubes. My chair was a short stool. Yes, that was my actual desk. I left that position quite quickly.
Life Hacker has a variety of articles covering standing desks. You can find a good collection of their concepts here: Standing Desks on the Cheap
I live life on the edge
At work we have desks with an electric motor that can raise/lower it at any time. Huge desks with a decent sized return. $employer also made sure to get us very large, very thick, very comfortable mats to stand on.
The Good:
This has been a tremendous benefit for us fat guys. Stronger core, burning calories, etc. Has been a very healthy improvement. Also, way less discomfort throughout the day. Another huge, unintended benefit, is momentum -- if you're already standing, going and working on something or talking to somebody is very natural and happens much more easily, compared to overcoming the lethargy of sitting; who wants to get out of their chair to go talk to a coworker? It has improved our face time dramatically, with lots of side benefits stemming from that.
The Bad:
The first 8-10 work days of standing are hard on your hips/knees/feet as your body probably isn't used to standing for 6-8 hours a day. Also, when it comes to doing extremely mentally demanding tasks (pouring through multiple spreadsheets, programming, etc), I find that I prefer to sit for that; any sort of daily work is done standing. You also MUST have a sturdy desk, otherwise when it is 4' up in the air it will wobble and make your monitors shake (this is prevalent with monitors on arms).
All in all, it might be pricy but it is 100% worth it for the health/happiness and group-ware/collaboration benefits.
My first thought is that if you are going to be using it for 9 hours every day, then you shouldn't be getting a standing desk. Standing for 9 hours every day is not good on your body. It is horrible on your legs, especially your knees. Yes, sitting for 9 hours isn't good either, but it is much either to get up and walk around than it is to sit down. Standing desks are a great idea for light to moderate use. If you are using them off and on all day, they are great. But if you are using them continually all day, they are horrible, mainly because you have to stand. At a regular sitting desk, it is very easy to stand up and stretch, walk around, or even just stand for a couple minutes and still look at your computer. When you go to the bathroom or to the copier or printer, you are getting a break form sitting, but not from standing. Unless your standing desk is extremely flexible, it is usually very difficult to sit down at a standing desk and still be productive.
"Information wants to be expensive" - Stewart Brand, the same guy who said "Information wants to be free"
Make sure you get a stool or a drafting chair... I worked most of my younger jobs as a architectural designers so I used to stand and use a drafting board... you will want to have a chair.
If you work in a cubicle area, do not use a standup desk. There was always some chucklehead who would stand up while working and it annoyed everybody.
It is like having someone standing behind your chair all day.
If you have your own office, having the option of standing is probably nice.
My opinion of standup desks is very much the same as it is about running toilets.
A 'singular oddity' is an event that cannot be explained and only happens when you are alone.
How exactly is being able to sit down equivalent to "bending to each and every whim"? Has employment standards in the US fallen so low that employees arn't even entitled to basic amenities anymore? Why not make everyone wear loin cloths and be forced to work while crouching in an insect-infested dirt floor while you're at it?
The fact that the submitter goes from "Can't have anything" to a "$500 stand up desk" is just unfathomable. There are so many options for getting cheap/free furniture, there is no excuse for having to resort to cardboard boxes. You can get perfectly good desks and chairs from Goodwill or some other similar place. Hell, place ads on freecycle requesting old furniture.
I think the first step here is to fix what is clearly an attitude problem at the company. Apparently the people there feel that suffering is a mandatory component to working there, and that's flat out crap.
Get yourself a gardening mat (or two), move the chair to the side, and kneel in front of your desk. Same benefits as standing, no need to alter the desk.
I made a standing workstation from my existing desk, a short (~14") stand for my keyboard and put my monitor on a shelf above the desk. I even made the stand from salvaged materials around the building. You could do it with a small plank and 4 2x2" legs.
$5000 to stand up?
I guess it makes sense... check out this NY Times article..
"...University of Massachusetts showing that when volunteers stood all day — nothing else; no walking or jogging; just standing — they burned hundreds more calories than when they sat for the same period of time."
But then again... we're against standing... again from the NY Times..
"At any moment, there were thousands of workers standing on assembly lines or sitting in backless chairs, crouching next to large machinery, or jogging between loading bays..."
Standing = more calories burned
backless chairs = good posture
jogging = exercise
Who knew Foxconn and Apple just wanted to help their workers and were ahead of the curve?!?! ;-)
My response to that company:
"I quit, because you're a fucking moron. Have a nice life....chump."
Go to Home Depot and buy 4-6 cinder blocks. Think they are about $10 a piece, plus nobody can say they are a fire hazard because lots of buildings are made with them.
sudo make me a sandwich
VR Gloves and headset, or get back to work...
I wanted a standing desk for a cheap PC in my workshop, for looking up parts and reference, etc. I wound up going to Kmart, purchasing a cheap narrow PC desk with a roll-out keyboard rest, and a TV stand, and screwed one on top of the other. The result worked out well, with plenty of storage below the PC, and can roll around well.
I changed to one at home for space reasons and the first couple weeks were pure hell, getting used to standing up for hours at a time. Reminds you what a fat-ass you are sitting at a computer for most of your waking life...
And now I'm used to it - spend a few hours each night and long stretches on the weekend.
Now my workplace feels like the unhealthy option - I find myself taking walking breaks every hour just to stand up again.
FWIW, when I was younger I wasn't athletic, but I did run cross-country.
I have one of these desks and I barely use it in standing mode because it's wobbly as all hell to type on and I hate watching the LCDs jiggle around. I don't think I would ever recommend it because of that. Sucks that it was such a nice concept.
Brian Fundakowski Feldman
I use boxes and laptop stands on top of each other to get my laptop and monitor up. I also have a high chair from the kitchen to sit on when my feet hurt. I have no idea what the ''OSHA' issue is with piling up boxes. No one at Dell cares. I will actually stack them up to stand for a few hours and then lower then down to sit when my feet hurt. Dell is a big company so if there really were OSHA issues, they would say something.
I think your manager is an utter control freak wacko.
I get muscle cramps in my back. A chiropractor told me that your screen should be level with your head and you should not have to move your head to see your screen. The only easy way to do that is to stack the monitor up on stacks of paper or boxes. It is higher than you think. you are supposed to be able to sit straight up without slouch and your eyes should be in the middle of the screen. I supposed that violates OSHA too right? It has really helped relieve my back cramps.
I think your company may be paranoid about your monitor falling and breaking. If you use paper and do it right, the chance of that is very low. However, if you work in a control freak whacko management environment they won't care. I would look for a new job.
You don't want to stand for 9 hours a day. If you want something like this, you'll need a desk where you can press a button and then the desk adjusts itself between a sitting and standing height. That way you can switch between sitting and standing every time one position gets uncomfortable.
Really now. Standup desks are only talked about because its the flavor of the month and something that people seem to think makes them unique, cool, special and trendy.
Standup desks are just a product of the starbucks generation that sits around sipping coffee while looking at an ipad because they want to be seen doing so. Everyone I see talking about standup desks are the same who brag about their iphone, how they eat organic foods, how they drive a hybrid, they love starbucks and so on with a smug and pretentious sense of self satisfaction.
Really now, why talk about standup desks? If you want one then get one. Its that easy. Oh thats right, people talk about them because they want validation.
I don't know so much about stand up desks, but I did enjoy having a tall chair desk. If the desk could be used while standing and ALSO have a tall chair or stool I think it'd be great. That way when people walk up to you for a conversation they're not hovering above you.
It would also give me a better view of the street through my second floor window ;)
No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
1. Stand-up desks are very bad for you, talk about sore knees!
2. No sane person would pay $500.00 for a stand up desk
3. Spend $50.00 at lowes or walmart for a regular desk.
I've been using a standing desk at work for about a year and a half now. I started with putting the monitor on a small wooden shelf (from Target for $15) and mouse/keyboard on a pile of giant old reference books. It worked, but I was then offered an Ergotron workfit, which looks a good bit more professional although people still think it's crazy. The Ergotron solution at least allows for moving between sitting and standing positions in two seconds and doesn't require swapping out a whole desk. I just can't work sitting or a I fall asleep. Same problem in college classes. I also got a static standing desk at home as well. I've always been active, and going from walking six miles a day and running six miles a day in college to sitting 8 hours a day would kill me not-so-slowly.
I got used to it. I have more issues on hard floors than soft floors, and some shoes work better than others. Maybe some increased risk of vericose veins, but I think when combined with a reasonable amount of exercise and taking breaks to move around, it's a pretty healthy alternative.
You say people complain about putting your computer on a cardboard box, but what about a plastic one? There's no need to spend a ton of money on a desk when all you need is an elevated flat surface.
Also, if anyone complains, try hitting them.
A unique way to learn a language: http://languageloom.com
I put together a stand up desk with an Ikea table base, table top, Capita legs and shelves for around $200. I have a barstool for when I want to rest, and I got it from Craigslist.
http://www.nbc.com/the-office/video/this-will-not-stand/1371438
I started using a standing desk a year ago and I won't go back. I bought this desk http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MS70Z2/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00. See my review for caveats because the keyboard tray isn't wide enough for mouse and keyboard. Yes, the standing will make your knees sore. I bought this mat and it does help http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EFK9KM/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00. I feel much better in general. My back pain went away and I feel much healthier in general.
While I would love a stand-up desk, I simply can't find such a thing in any style I would like (wood, with frigging drawers, preferably a return desk)- not some horribly naked looking Ikea thing that would make my grandfather roll his eyes.
Does anyone have a suggestion for that? I don't want cinder blocks, planks, or anything ghetto like that. I live in a house, not a workshop!
Stand-up desks are pointless. Just get up and walk around every 30 minutes or so. Problem solved!
I've been using a standing desk for over 5 years now and love it. I also have a rolling desk stool (triangular shaped seat) that I can use when I want to rest. My setup is such that I can stand or use the chair and I only need to adjust the tilt on my monitor.
Being able to stand for hours at a time is something you need to adjust to. Start by standing for a 15-20 minutes, then sit for 30 minutes. Later, rinse, repeat. Adjust the times as you get more used to standing.
I would also suggest exercise coupled with this. I would suggest yoga as a nice practice that helps posture and will make standing a much more enjoyable experience.
Many years ago it was sitting on exercise balls.
Then it was kneeling chairs.
Now it's standing desks.
I bet you next year those $500 standing desks will be right next to the exercise balls and kneeling chairs. In the meantime, with all the money spent on the sitting/standing gadgets, unfortunately nor productivity, nor quality, nor ergonomics, nor comfort has improved.
There's lots of talk of standing desks and posture-related discussion in this previous discussion. My own comment:
Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
I built myself a cheap standing desk from IKEA. You get the Vika Amon table top (under $40) and the Vika Bysske table legs ($20 a pop) These legs work with the table but they are intended for the construction of a kitchen bar. 4 of these bad boys and you have yourself a standing desk. Mind your height - you want to have roughly a 90degree angle at your elbow when working. I am 6'3'' and I can get this at their maximum extension. Then I get one of those attachable shelves and tada my monitors are higher up so that I have them at eye level. Warning - this setup is not adjustable. Well it is but adjustment requires everything to be removed, desk flipped and about 20-30 minutes to re-adjust the legs so yes you can always revert to a normal desk but you can't alternate throughout the day.
I've been using my standing desk since July 2012. Things to note - I don't work at it all day everyday. I sit at work 9-5, stand at home. Expect serious leg cramps after a few days. Video games help forget the pain and condition your body for longer hauls. I can stand no problem for 8 hours+ now. I don't get tired in fact i think it keeps me more alert but I do take breaks after 4 hours. You feel it when you're finished working and take a load off on the couch/bed. You burn more calories - not sure if this is significant. You save TONS of space - great for small apartments or tight bedrooms. I've read that its healthier - so whether it is or not placebo effect bonus just don't analyze this too much... dammit I might have just lost the bonus!
I'm having trouble making the commitment to full-time stand-up. I usually do about 30% standing and then I have a high chair for other times.
My motivation was to avoid slouching in my desk chair. While standing, I do shift my weight from leg to leg (just can't seem to stand there with a 50/50 weight distribution), but I don't get any soreness or back pain from standing. I've heard some people have to tough through the first few days of back or foot soreness before their body acclimates, but not me.
To build mine, I actually just started with my desk, which was an adjustable-height desk which would go up to about 38" high. Then, I went to Bed, Bath, & Beyond to get some of those bed-risers to put under the feet which raised it another 6" or so. So, the desk comes up to just under my belly-button. That's where my keyboard is. Then, to reduce fatigue on my mouse-arm, the mouse is on top of a long box that a keyboard was shipped in, so it's about another 3" off the desk, and my whole forearm rests on that. The monitors are also raised off of the desk about 10" by placing a board across a couple of DVD drive boxes.
It looks pretty ghetto, but it's really strain-free. I get to look straight ahead, and nothing is tugging on my limbs when I use the keyboard or mouse. All told, I spent the money to buy the bed-risers. So, for fairly cheap, you can figure out if the standing thing is your thing and whether you want to spend more bucks for something a little more slick.
I converted to a permanent standing desk a few months ago and I really like it. The first week was pretty tough to get through, but after that it has been great. I recommend an anti-fatigue mat to stand on and some decent insoles like PowerSteps. Some co-workers also have a high stool for when they get tired. I do admit that I look forward to sitting during lunch and after work, but I would never go back. I haven't seen a single co-worker go back to sitting, and more are converting to standing.
At my company HQ (different office) all desks are motorized and can raise or lower with a button. These are awesome and are the ideal (albeit expensive) solution. Most of the HQ employees both stand and sit for a few hours per day, as do I when visiting.
The extra calories burned while standing is pretty compelling. Also there are recent studies that advise against sitting all day.
Of course YMMV based on your physical health and body type. FWIW I am 6'4" 185lb software developer in decent shape...work for 8-9 hours / day 90% of the time at my desk.
I have only basic carpentry skills, and I made a stand-up desk earlier this year which I'm using right now. (I, too, work in an office environment where a cardboard box wouldn't go over well....)
I used 3/4" plywood, iron-on veneer tape, screws, dowels and a doweling jig, stain, varnish, wood glue - all in all I'd say under $200, and that includes a few tools I will reuse in the future. The end product is very simple: the top surface is (approximately) a 3' x 18" rectangle, which sits on 18" square sides. Its back side (the vertical side facing away from me) is another 3' x 18" rectangle. The surface facing me as I stand is open. I also added a second, lower shelf that my keyboard tray is screwed to; it does not extend all the way across, but instead goes about 2' across and then sits on a square vertical "leg". This leaves a tall gap on one side for my computer, since the cable reaching to my monitor would be too short if the computer was still at my feet.
I cut semicircular holes at the back of the top surface and bottom of the back face, and at the back of the middle "leg" holding up the inner shelf. These let me run cables where I needed to. Made sure to sand the finish prouct well, stained it to match my desk at work as closely as possible, and varnished it. Now it sits on top of my desk, and it takes more than a casual glance to see that it isn't part of the original furniture. (I stuck non-skid rubber pads on the bottom of the new piece so it doesn't skid on the desk, and so it doesn't scratch the wood.)
I also stand on a layer of anti-fatigue matting, and I find standing is much easier if I move around. Walking in place is fine, or even just "fidgeting" by bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet or shifting from side to side. I also have a balance platform from Reebok that I stand on sometimes. If I stand still all day I get sore just like when I sat, but if I keep moving I do much better.
A quick note on the 18" height: I'm just under 5'7. If you're taller you'll probably want a taller desk topper. I actually measured from my eye level while standing to the top of my current desk, and went from there. My desk topper is also 3 feet wide b/c eventually I am promised a second monitor, and because I wanted it to be wide enough to keep my computer under. You could easily make a smaller stand for just the monitor, though.
https://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/12/9/4/GftwY6EkikmMesXG1TPvYg2.gif
Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
Go totally deskless. And steampunk it with useless gears, chains, scissors switches, etc.
And a Guillotine for your OSHA folks.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
My office uses cubes with adjustable desks, so they didn't mind when a number of us started adjusting our desks to standing height. Overall it's a good thing, but there are times when the urge to sit down is distracting. Fortunately my desk consists of multiple adjustable shelves, so my main work space is standing height and I have open desk space next to it that I can move my laptop down and sit. Medical professionals advise sitting no more than 3 hours a day.
I highly recommend getting a chef's mat or something similar. I also had to get some cushy inserts for my shoes.
I'm not sure I want to know how you take a dump.
When you recognize love in another and realize how precious it is, everything else seems so insignificant.
Unless your standing desk is extremely flexible, it is usually very difficult to sit down at a standing desk and still be productive.
You just need to get a tall chair or stool. I enjoy the chair far more than the desk (I still sit most of the time) because I can more easily stand up and sit down. It's more like sliding on or off the seat, rather than falling into or forcing myself up from a regular chair.
No you don't. Just get a stool. When your legs feel tired, switch to the stool. When you get restless, stand back up. Just because it's a standing desk, it doesn't mean there's a law against sitting down occasionally.
Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
There was an old drafters table and I turned into a stand-up workstation. Adjustable height and angle, it is simply awesome. My knees, back and shoulders have never felt so good. I stand for roughly half the day, with a tall chair for when I need it. I highly recommend that anyone with back problems give it a go.
On the cheap, you can build your own desk with a few pieces of wood. A 3/4" plywood sheet and 2x4's are all you need. If you are vain and don't like that look, you could put your current desk up on blocks.
Bearded Dragon
And more games of civ than I can count.
Fugue for Aaron Swartz
I dwell in cubicle-land, and at the end of last year I raised half of my work surface, including my keyboard/monitor/mouse, to standing height. Within my small work group we have a variety of approaches, with almost everybody at least partly at standing height. One has a tall chair; another has dual monitors with one at each level.
Most of us are pretty happy standing most of the time, and agree that part time sitting is an important component. I think I may eventually go with a second monitor, since I don't do all that much work that doesn't involve my computer. Some days I don't sit at all.
Orange whip? Orange whip? Three orange whips.
"Never debug standing up" -- Gerald Weinberg
Slashdot's name? When my compiler sees
You've got many choices.
1. Get an over bed table ala http://www.amazon.com/Invacare-Over-Bed-Table/dp/B000QA0EHI $49, you can adjust the height, upto 42" which should be within a few inches of what you need.
2. Use a bed tray on your normal table - ala http://www.standsandmounts.com/winsomewoodnaturalwoodbreakfasttraywithtiltingtop.aspx
3. Get a shelf with adjustable racks ala http://visualadventures.com/gear-review/how-to-make-an-adjustable-stand-up-desk-for-about-50
4. El cheapo option, wooden boxes, or piles of telephone directories, or piles of soft drink can crates.
Get a tall stool to sit in when you need a break from standing.
All bow to his Noodliness!! His Noodle Appendage has touched me!
My core muscles are too weak from 20 years of sitting and coding in supportive chairs. I couldn't stand up comfortably all day and use a computer at this point. I suppose my core would be stronger if I had been doing it, but I haven't and I don't plan to start now.
I don't use it every day but on days when I know I'll be sitting at home, too, it's nice to stand. Or on days after a big workout and I don't want to cramp to my chair. It's also nice to be able to stand when you're watching Live Meeting or Lync so you don't fall asleep or feel like you haven't moved in a forever if you call into two or three meetings back to back.
I almost forgot that my keyboard is now always at the right height! Great feature, keyboard trays suck ;-)
How about getting an office chair that is tall enough to use to sit at the standing desk?
My experience has generally been positive with standing desks. I have the 'IKEA' solution at home and in the winter months I turn my work desk into a standing desk. This helps keep my core and back strong enough for biking in the constructions months. But I can't do it for eight hours, I usually end up sitting on a tall stool at the end of the day. Remember that a lot of people HAVE to stand all day at work and have a myriad of problems from doing so. Damaged knees and joints are probably at the top of the list of problems you might incur. Make sure you have a gel standing mat, good shoes, and a way to turn your desk back into a sitting desk quickly or a tall stool.
I've been using a standing desk for about 1 year. Done correctly, I prefer it to a sitting desk. My desk is actually an Ikea desktop placed on top of some plastic crates atop a regular desk. I've been meaning to build an Ikea Hack desk but haven't gotten around to it.
I have found the following considerations to be crucial:
1. Stand on an anti-fatigue mat. This is a must for your feet.
2. Sit sometimes. I use a tall chair. A movable desk is better but much more expensive.
3. Get the height correct for both your hands and monitors. Desk at elbow height, monitor top at eye level.
3. Shift your standing position regularly.
I have never taken a stand-up desk, or a sitting down desk for that matter. I only take women.
I am sure people can use one of their hands to hold up the computer and type with the other hand.
I've never been a fan of the stand up desk. I do, however, put in an hour or more on the treadmill desk before I show up at the office every day. Those are my most productive minutes of the day.
I use a motorized drafting table. On Ebay for 50 bucks, since everybody uses CAD now. Fully adjustable.
It isn't for everyone. I happen to like it.
1) Step 1 is to try it. Find some acceptable method to construct a standing arrangement. Try it out for 3 weeks minimum. Week 1 sucks. You will be sore if you are not used to this. I tried things out for about 6 months before I was sold.
2) Have a plan for what you are going to do when you are sick. I bought a geekdesk that has the ability to be lowered. When you are sick, you aren't standing.
3) Get a comfortable chair for your office. Don't do this until AFTER your 3 week trial period. When you do get tired of standing, and you will, you need someplace comfy to sit for a little while.
4) Be aware you won't like sitting as much afterwards. 8 hour meetings are hard now.
I have no idea about the health benefits. I prefer standing now to sitting.
Best thing ever!!! I spent more time standing when I had one than sitting and generally felt better at the end of the day compared to sitting all day.
If you get one that's adjustable get a manual (you lift) adjust as my experience with the electronic ones are they are problem prone (one side lifts the other not so much).
A good Stand Up Desk is expensive, in fact the reason I don't have one at home is I can't afford a proper stand up desk, and won't get suckered into "Office Max" quality furniture.
Get one if you can.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
but it is much either to get up and walk around than it is to sit down.
I think you meant, "eathier".
Carpentry isn't that hard. A skill saw, table saw, drill/driver and some scrap wood will get you a long way. A friend with those tools who can help you is even better. Otherwise, just give it a try and see what you come up with. A 2x4 will set you back a whopping $3 at Home Depot. This ain't rocket surgery.
----- obSig
Stand-Up Desk + Bar stool = GOLD.
You would rather stand for 9 hours than sit at a desk?
Why not just get a job where you're on your feet all day and bypass the desk?
I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
In Denmark most offices have electrically adjustable sit-and-stand desks, due to some law I think. So I've used them since the dotcom years, and also managed to find one at furniture sale for around $400 for my home office, from where I now work full time. Though I am not always disciplined enough to stand up at it every day, it really is great for afternoon fatigue and for relieving back pains. I think the health hazards of sitting down all day are well documented, and I found this to be a tiny investment compared to the cost of monitor, laptop, car, as I plan to keep this body for a while. Resellers of well-designed height adjustable desks seem hard to find outside of Scandinavia though, I predict whoever comes first will make a killing when they start taking off in the US. If you decide to get one do make sure the legs and motors will not interfere with your legs when sitting down.
that Gerald Weinberg worked for Bell Labs.
I have a stand-up desk and a cheap wooden bar stool with a backrest. I can stand when I want to stand, and sit down when I get tired of standing. Best of both worlds!
Do some research on OSHA. They just don't like the idea of a cardboard box on your desk cause it will look like crap. Bring your box in and say you want to try it out to see if you like the standing desk but don't want to spend the money until you find out if it works for you. After about two weeks they will probably forget all about their objections and let you use the box if you like. I set my cubicle at work to have a stand up section (just had to lift the desk up and mount it higher on the bracket tracks it has. Everyone came by to find out about it and when I stand there to work people seem to be more comfortable engaging me now than when my back was to them. I still set down at the other part of the cubicle to use my computer though, so I don't use it as much as I should.
To that guy who's never seen a man take a dump while running, he should start following Dirk around.
Is 1563649 a prime number?
I developed some lower back problems from sitting all day. It got to the point where I would get stabbing pain within 5 minutes of sitting down.
I ended up buying an adjustable stand up desk base and made a top out of a door. At first I was very concerned about the cost, but it has ended up being one of the best decision I have ever made. My legs were a little sore for the first week or so but they strengthened quickly and that is no longer a problem. The best part is that now that I spend most of my time standing I can sit for hours without any discomfort.
I believe this is the model I purchased:
http://www.thehumansolution.com/uplift-hover-adjustable-height-desk-444-base.html
It provides plenty of space with a full size door sitting on top. :-)
I "converted" my desk to a standing desk by using old flat surfaced printer stands to effectively raise my desk surface. I placed my monitor on one stand towards the back of my desk; keyboard and mouse on another towards the front. I've used this configuration for over a year and a half and now have an extreme distaste for having to do my work sitting down (when not at my desk, that is). One of the nicer benefits, too, is that I can keep items which would have previously been on my desk surface within easy reach by placing said items below the keyboard/mouse stand...such as my coffee+warmer! More effective horizontal surface to use! Woot!
I used one of those for a while - cost about $25. No need to get the overpriced chair version. It wasn't entirely comfortable at first, but I got used to it, and it did strengthen my core muscles a bit.
Then one day I rolled back from the desk and didn't see that my cat was behind me. He got startled when it hit him, yowled, and slashed at the ball. I started sinking gradually toward the floor as it deflated. :-) I suppose I should drag out the bicycle patch kit and find where I left the pump to reinflate it, but I haven't bothered.
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
I've been using these for the last few months: http://is.gd/AdiF8o
Affordable (especially second hand. Little over 30 euros.) Adjustable. And they double as chairs!
Get a cheap 19" rack, the two-rail kind without an enclosure, and a couple of shelves. Monitor goes on one, keyboard or laptop on the other, adjust the heights however you want. With an extra shelf or two, it's easy to use it for both sitting and standing, or you can do the barstool thing.
Or yeah, just use a wooden box, or a board and cinder blocks.
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
One could always get a standing desk, and then also have an office chair which is tall enough to sit at the stand-up desk. This is how I do it at work, and rather like it.
Ninja Standing Desk is a couple of lightweight shelves on straps that hang on a wall. You can hang it over a door, or attach it to sheetrock with picture hangers, or whatever. Laptop goes on the top shelf, keyboard on the bottom. They demoed at Maker Faire this year, and they're orderable online after doing a Kickstarter. Designed at Techshop, and you can pay in Bitcoin, so you can check off a whole lot of Hipster Style Points boxes at once, but it seems to be fairly simple and practical, and if you don't like it you can fold it up until somebody else wants to use it. (And their business cards are the obvious throwing-star shape :-)
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
Kneeling has good advantages, especially if you wear shorts. It straightens out the core and you can switch back and forth between sitting and kneeling. With any luck the desktop will be just fine for your height when kneeling, otherwise you might need a low kneeler.
I got one of these adjustable laptop stands. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VE27R4 and have been fairly happy with it, although I do not use it alot. It is easy to adjust up and down, but I just move or move it out of the way. In the winter putting my wrist on the metal did become uncomfortable as it conducted heat away, so I tucked some cloth under the laptop and over the bottom edge where my wrist touched. This is really a laptop only solution. The price seems to have gone up 50% since I got mine.
I never have tried it in bed but this might be the solution for jcborro.
My wife found a butt-ugly electric sit-stand desk on Craigslist, from which I salvaged the legs.
Bought a nice $40 birch veneer top from Ikea, with their cable tray, attached a full-length outlet strip to the back, an Ergotron arm for my monitor, and mounted all the geeky gear (GbEN switch, KVM, USB hub, etc.) sub-surface.
It's nirvana, and I can sit or stand, and even raise the desk to get under it when they drop the big one.
You can find electric legs in my major US city new for around $500 (more than what I paid for a used desk).
...makes a line of inexpensive desktop conversions for sit-or-stand. I too work for a non-profit and the price was decent enough that I was able to justify the purchase on health grounds. I love mine and would never go back to just sitting.
http://www.ergodesktop.com/products
No, I'm not affiliated with them in any way - just a satisfied customer.
Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges.
I switched to standing three years ago, and I'll never go back. I literally stand and program for up to 12 hours, but typically an 8 hour day. I have nothing but health benefits from doing so. My back actually starts to hurt if I have to sit for too long. It's not like you stand in one spot for hours at a time. You'll find yourself shifting your weight around. Then there's interruptions where you have to walk around and occasionally sit down. I started with pads from home depot under my feet, but these days I don't use them. I wear my flip flops with minimal padding, which allows my feet to do their natural thing.
I'd take the proclamations of how bad standing all day is for you with a grain of salt. I'd bet the majority of those proclaiming it aren't even using standing desks. I'd also take the "standing caused such and such horrible thing to my body" with a grain of salt. You can't just stand after years of sitting and expect your posture to be ok. You have to stretch out those muscles that are chronically tight from all that sitting. I do my hip flexors every day, and I also roll a ball under the arches of my feet. Both of these make an enormous difference. Standing is bad for your knees? Not mine, and mine have taken years of abuse from being active and 9 years of coaching wrestling.
The one "however" I'll throw in is if you're overweight. I can see knee problems and health issues occurring if that is the case, but otherwise, I'm strongly in the standing camp. Several other people at my work have switched to standing after seeing my setup and also have no complaints.
If this will work where your 'office area' is, a 30 dollar sheet of one inch thick plywood cut down to a three feet width with a circular saw. Put a forty five degree angle on it for a beveled edge. You could use long wood screws to secure it to a wall (use a leveled wood "runner" screwed to wall studs), and two foot long angle cut two by threes underneath for support, once it's all screwed together, paint, varnish or just staple an old clean bedsheet taut to it. Make it any height you like and use the one foot extra strip of plywood for a sturdy shelf above the "desk". If you need to, buy dinner for a tool-handy friend to help you, in 4 hours you'll have a desk so solid you could dance on it! Spend your money on a real comfortable chair.
I did the IKEA Standup Desk hack for home. Worked out pretty good. I barely use the chair I bought along with it. At work I have a standing desk but I almost never have it up.
anonymous wrote: Can I make one myself?
YES! It is cheap and easy. Nested PVC pipe sections serve as leg-extenders!
I made mine for a regular pipe-legged IKEA-type desk. Worked wonders for my back.
Measure the diameter of your desk's legs. Buy lengths of PVC pipe that are just-narrower and just-wider than the desk legs. One pair for each leg. The pipes will nest one-in-the-other. Desk legs sit on the narrow pieces, like stilts. Wide pieces nest over the narrow pieces, and should be much longer than the narrow pieces, to stabilize the whole thing. If it's too wobbly, squirt some spray-foam insulation between the PVC pipes to make solid composite pieces. If safety complains, you could mount the desk to the wall with L-brackets.
The human body was not meant to sit for 8+ hours a day.
Finding a desk and chair/stool which can be varied in positions and heights between sit down and stand up offers a way to keep varying the muscle positions. Pure standup works for awhile for me, partial sit-down with one leg on the floor and one on a stool works for awhile and then sitting in the chair works.
"old" drafting tables by Hamilton and Mayline can be real cheap in used office furniture places and have plenty of drawers and a top that can be angled. Lots of choices exist which are not expensive.
I tried a standing desk for a couple of months. It felt great after I became acclimated to it but I found my circulatory system couldn't handle it. Eventually blood would pool up in my feet to point were my shoes wouldn't fit anymore. I had to get rid of it. :(
I think the key is to move around. Being stationary sitting or standing long term is bad news.
Standing for an hour is about 100 calories for a 200 lb man.
sitting burns about 80.
So, basically it's the same as eating 2 less bites from a burger, or better don't order fries or chips.
The more you know=========*
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Assuming he isn't a dog, he probably doesn't drag his ass across the floor to get to the bathroom.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
The classic quick, cheap, solid desk is an old door across two dirt-common two-drawer file cabinets.
I've two of those. the main one actually uses a pair of old AT tower cases. Two dollar-store clamps hold a smaller piece of scrap for my keyboard tray. A single cheap particle-board rear shelf for the displays sits on various blocks. Power bars are just screwed into the back edge of the door. You don't need to be a carpenter, you just need to think (less) and make a solid block structure. Trim with toy blocks for cool points.
It's not rocket science to figure a taller system for standing if you want to try that. (Some love it, some loathe it - it's kinda like kneeling chairs and ball chairs -- people rave about them briefly, then everyone moves back to traditional options.)
Let's not turn this into another fucking vim-vs-emacs religious war. Fuck.
Get a fixed standing desk and a stool. They are cheap and you can sit or stand, depending on whatever you feel like. I've got a Fredrik from Ikea and it's perfect -- unfortunately they discontinued this model.
I like my Ergotron Workfit adjustable workstation.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824994123&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-NA-_-NA
It has some sort of counterweight system so with hand pressure you can adjust it up and down. I usually start out my days standing, but by afternoon my dogs are tired so I just move it down and it sits at just the right height for my cushy office chair. All the other adjustable solutions that I found cost at least $1000.
-- QED
I was in the same boat as you. I am a musician and wanted a stand up desk for my audio workstation to make it easier to play guitar and record. I already had an X-type keyboard stand sitting around so I bought a second platform for it to make it a two tier stand. I put my laptop on the second tier using a scrap piece of lumber. Works great and cheap. This is basically exactly what I have.
http://www.amazon.com/On-Stage-Stands-Deluxe-2-Tier-Keyboard/dp/B0002M3OUO/ref=sr_1_9?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1346966758&sr=1-9&keywords=onstage+keyboard+stand
but walking is much better. I started out with a standing desk (also on cardboard boxes) but found myself constantly fidgeting and really wanting to sit down. Then I picked up a $20 treadmill off of craigslist, took the arms off and hacked the control panel to much smaller dimensions, and started walking while I work (network admin). I found it much easier to get through the day, plus it's great exercise and it forces me awake :-) Once I tried it for a week or two and knew I was sticking with it, I built a small section of raised desk for about $30 worth of materials at Home Depot (2x3, slotted shelf supports for adjustability, paint, plywood) that' been working great (and looks pretty good).
here's a short coffee table i converted to a stand-up desk about a century ago,
before i had disposable income.
I got a set of gravity boots and some chains, and chained my laptop to the ceiling, and use the gravity boots to hold on. Works great. My back and my feet no longer hurt. I have a few headaches and frequent nosebleeds, but aside from the anaemia, it works great. oh yeah, and except for the nosebleeds, kinda like a giant fountain.
When was the workday extended to 9 hours, and what happened to breaks?
I put a "Tabletote - Portable Compact Lightweight Laptop Notebook Stand" on top of my desk. I carry it to meetings, as well. It collapses down to the size of a thick laptop.
http://www.lapdawg.com/lapdawg-x4.html This thing allows you to stand up or sit down. $69.00 bones..
I wanted a standing desk but my boss wouldn't spring for it. So, I went to Home Depot and bought a set of adjustable plastic garage shelves like you'd use to hold paint cans. I assembled it on top of my office-issued desk, adjusted the top shelf to a comfortable height for my monitor, and set the middle shelf to a good height for my keyboard and trackball. Voila. Standing desk for $20. It wasn't beautiful but it worked perfectly.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
You can buy standing desks for under $100. Try Ikea.
66 I work at a non-profit...99
Someone is trying to shield oneself from market forces by working at a non-profit. This fellow needs to be careful as to what details that are involved that compelled him to work at a non-profit, lest he already has been disqualified for a driver's license and/or firearms possession.
A college degree makes people think that they are owed a living. People need to understand that the only people that are truly owed a living are minors, the aged, and the infirm. A society that does not care for these forfeits its privilege to exist.
Cost me $250 to find a local carpenter to put one together and stain it
I know we're on a dangerous mission and all... but I'm taking this. I'm taking this couch!
(later)
Wahoo! Look at us. Look at how much more comfortable we are shooting stuff on this couch...
I have one of these and like it a lot. Turns any desk into a sit/stand desk, and the tray is nice and large: http://www.ergodesktop.com/content/kangaroo-pro-junior/
Of course other people like it a lot, too, so it's a month backordered. You can usually find the Ergotron WorkFit-Ses in stock.
For 500 bucks at Ikea you could not only buy yourself a decent desk and office chair, but also a couch to boot.
I have my computer on a chrome-steel clip together shelving unit, and I pushed a $400 treadmill under it (I didn't attach the arms - the control panel is sitting on one of the shelving unit shelves. I use ratchet straps to anchor the shelving unit to the treadmill so it can only fall away from me in case of accident.
It took two weeks to learn to touch type and code without wandering around relative to the keyboard or stumbling, but now it's as easy as working seated. I walk about 6 to 8 miles during the day before my feet get tired, then I tend to stand for the rest.
Oh, and I make sure to take a break every hour or so to sit down :)
Take a trip to Target if you are short on money, or cruise craigslist or similar. $500 is a huge budget. Now, if you were talking $50, then I'd see some reason to seek help.
This should not be a slashdot question.
I work at a (rather well off) University, but our department head is super cheap. I discovered that an Alvin Workmaster drafting table works well. It's rated up to 150lbs (so my laptop, 2 23" monitors and paperwork are no problem). It set me back ~$430 which sounds like it might be below your $500 cutoff?
When I was cash starved a decade or so ago, I bought a cheap 7' countertop at the hardware store and placed it on two old metal filing cabinets a local business left out on the road. I mounted an LCD to the wall and this configuration worked out so well, I stuck with it for many years and felt more productive and healthier working that way than I do today, at a sit down desk. I probably worked at least 8 to 9 hours a day with this configuration with zero negative effects.
I stand at work, and I like it, but it's not for everyone. If you've got only a conventional desk, putting bed risers under the feet/wheels raises the desk to a comfortable height for the keyboard & mouse near the hands. A set of those cheap plastic drawers, then, on the desk surface raises the screen the 35 cm or so to a comfortable viewing height. As an added bonus, keep desk tchotchkes in the drawers. The whole deal is less than USD 30, if I recall correctly.
I hope this helps.
Working at an inner-city school, strapped for funds, I used heavy duty shelving similar to this as stand up desks. The shelves are actually 2 separate usits placed ontop of eachother. I had one with a large storage area underheath and the other with 2 smaller (1/2 the size of the larger). The table tops were strudy and inexpensive, add a couple of power strips and PSUs and you have a great work bench/table. I ended up useing a similar configuration at my next job, only with 2 sets making my area much larger. A inexpensive bar stool (Ikea) makes for a great place to rest a little when you are there for the long hall or just need a moment to think. Total cost of workbench & barstool puts you at around 75 bucks. Well worth the cost, the school I set that up for over 10 years ago is still using the setup as is, they actually built a computer club lab set for 10 kids up in a similar style.
Shelving: http://www.shelfsave.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/v/sv109-black-wide-shelf-with-person.jpg
Ikea stool: http://images.canadianlisted.com/nlarge/4-ikea-dennis-bar-stools_4779335.jpg
Hope that this helps.
Using computers while standing up can be a pain unless you get the shelf the mouse sits on at precicely the correct height. I was using a mouse on a fixed shelf at the wrong height at one site for only two days a week and after a few weeks my wrist was not fully recovered even after a weekend. At that point I dragged in a wooden box and escalated the situation above the immature idiot that insisted I had to stand in front of the shelf.
I'm surprised by this. I'll consider it for a few days before purchasing. I don't use a laptop but my girlfriend does and this seems like it would work well for her.
Wow. I just tried this and it worked! Probably need a pad for my knees, but the new position gave my body an enormous amount of relief. Thank you, thank you ... and so cheap to boot!
"When I go into a hotel room, on the last night I'm in there I take out my balls and rub them all over the phone. Then the next night I call up the room and just laugh at whoever answers."
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
If you get a standing desk, where will your secretary put her legs when she's on her knees?
Having back problems and issues standing for long periods of time, I have to sit down, and no my back problems don't stem from sitting down too much, they stem from too much free running over 15 years ago. This is silicon valley, there are job openings everywhere all the time, finding a new job isn't terribly hard over here.
I used a standing desk for years. It was my normal desk on top of two Ultra-60's. Had some minor pain before, but mainly just preferred standing. Didn't really help the minor pain much.
I later learned from a postural therapist that my hips were extremely out of whack. From his point of view standing is just as bad as sitting if your hips or posture are far out of whack. Read about Egoscue or Symmetry(Patrick Mummy). Egoscue has one corny title, "Pain Free At Your PC". Other books are better. I've seen 3 people close to me saved from major back pain from simple but slightly time consuming daily postural exercises. Patrick Mummy is in Folsom and a very knowledgeable guy. Egoscue has a shop in SF, but you don't get to see the main guru(Egoscue) like you do with Patrick(Symmetry).
Be conscious of how you stand if you do a standing desk. Be symmetric as much as possible. If your body is out of whack it is impossible.
I've been told that I can't use a cardboard box to put my computer on, for OSHA and fire prevention reasons.
Have you considered a metal box?
Get a swiss/exercise ball and use it as a chair. Although you look a bit stupid, it encourages good posture and build core muscle, since you are constantly moving on it and your body has to correct.
I was cynical when I first got one, but now I find sitting on a normal chair for a long time seriously uncomfortable in comparison. For a tenner, you can't really go wrong!
http://www.ikea.com/ch/de/catalog/products/S39889771/ . It's the bees knees!
Interesting timing on this question. I just spent the last couple of weekends building a stand up desk. I've been using a large corner desk I bought from Walmart about 10 years ago. The particle board underside of it was falling apart but the horizontal surfaces are fine so I mounted my monitors on the wall. I took a 30 inch long board, mounted it across the corner with medium fence hinges hidden on the back side. The hinges adjust at any angle and provide a lot of strength. I mounted the center monitor to the board so it would sit in the center of my view. I bought a couple of wire microwave carts from Walmart to put the desk surface on. The rest of the horizontal surfaces are mounted to the wall as shelves. The desk is now 35 inches high. I can stand at it. I need to raise my desk chair up a bit. I eventually want to get or make a standing chair. Something like the standing chairs from the bridge of the Liberator on the Blake's 7 series.
*It's not what you can do for the Dark Side but what the Dark Side can do for you!*
I built a "standup desk" because I thought it would be better for back/neck than sitting. It seems to be. The cost was about 60USD, made from welded tube steel, including the steel and paying the welder to cut and weld it. It has held up for 4 years now, in constant use. It takes up about half the space of a normal desk. I would say go for it if you want to make one, but find a craftsman to to it, its about a 2 hour job to cut and weld it. Also made one from stainless, as steel rusts, but stainless is not as strong. Its very important to make it adjustable, as standing for long periods causes you to be shifting constantly, at a minimum you should make sure you can easily move the screen with your hands to a comfortable position. Another safety consideration is don't use it in a busy area, people are not used to furniture in that kind of spatial configuration and sometimes can collide with it. Wrist pain with the mouse - dont know, I use a pen. But consider there is very different blood circulation when standing, different muscle groups. Your budget of 500USD should be able to make 5 to 10 of this type of desk.
Craigslist, search for "scrap wood," make your own box that isn't cardboard.
I've been wanting a stand/sit desk for years but haven't been able to justify the 1800 for the one I want. Anthro is one of my favorites...
I used the existing parts of my cube farm desk to create a standing desk. I simply moved the brackets up so that the desktop is high enough to use while standing.
A tall desk chair is important. I find myself alternating between sitting and standing.
Background: I hurt my arm pretty badly in 2010 after (of course) helping someone move. I developed tendinitis in my shoulder, elbow, and wrist, and did a serious re-evaluation of my ergonomics.
I built a standing desk out of 2 x 4s and my old desktop, a piece of cheap particle board I've been hauling around for a decade or so. I already had an articulated keyboard tray I'd salvaged from a previous employer, so I put that on it for fine adjustments.
I built a so-called "tie-fighter" keyboard out of an old Goldtouch. http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-vertical,-ergonomic-tie-fighter-ke/
I also built a raised mouse platform to go next to it and screwed it to the keyboard tray, so that my arms would remain at the same height for typing and mousing.
I got an inexpensive ergo mouse. http://www.amazon.com/Vertical-Ergonomic-Optical-Mouse-Ergoguys/dp/B001FWKA7A/
I got an anti-fatigue standing mat, the kind which are used by cashiers and such. http://www.amazon.com/Crown-Comfort-Antifatigue-Zedlan-CK0023BL/dp/B000PTO8MW/
Probably the most expensive thing I did was buy a new, drafting-height chair. See other comments in this thread about bar stools; same idea.
The end result is an ergonomic workstation that is almost perfectly suited to my ergonomic needs. I no longer pronate my wrists; the only tendon that gets tensed is the one around the back of my elbow. My back doesn't hurt from sitting anymore and I have better circulation overall. I would say I sit down about 25% of the time when computing, though it varies from day to day. Some days I won't sit hardly at all, others I'll feel a bit lazy and sit maybe half the time.
I chose not to spend lots of money on a commercial standing desk or one of those movable ones. It seemed easy and approachable to do some simple carpentry and build one myself. The whole project increased my awareness of computing ergonomics, and I think my body is happier for it.
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I've been using GeekDesk motorized adjustable height desk for couple years at work, and like it! It changes from regular desk to standing in 30 seconds - I switch position couple times a day. It is very sturdy (mine lifts a PC and three monitors) and costs less than other similar desks.
I would call them on what exact regulation or law and I would read it to see what it exactly said, and who exactly needs to provide this.
Because I think the business has to provide furnishings.
slouching.
I've used a stand-up desk for 8 years and plan to do so indefinitely; beats the teeth out of any sit-down work style I've used. I use an industrial-type steel workstation with a piece of particle board for the surface, and it works like a champ. I have a barstool that I use if my legs need a break. I've also been wearing sneakers to work for the past year to give my feet a little bit of an easier time.
I have a pal who uses an Ikea sit / stand desk, seems to work just fine. Or you can get the $10,000 Donald Rumsfeld model.
I have no health issues, but wanted to get one as I spend probably 9-12 hours a day in front of the computer. I also heard that if you sit all day and then exercise, it can actually increase your risk of heart disease. Does kinda make sense - sloth out for 10 hours then kill self lifting heavy weights... You can also get incredibly shortened hip flexors from sitting so long which is terrible for posture. Anyway end of health geekery - So I bought a fairly simple motorized sit/stand desk which worked like a charm for 6 months, until it broke. The right side dropped quite suddenly and my monitor teetered for a moment but didn't fall. The company I got it from claimed to have never had a problem before with this model of desk, but who knows. Don't really wanna share the brand or company names in case that is true - I don't want to harm their business. Anyway 2 weeks later they've replaced the broken part and now I'm waiting to see if it breaks again! I'll certainly have to call out the make of desk in this thread if that happens.
I have mastered a Web site with plans for low-stress computer furniture since 1995 (Goggle "Woodware Designs Stand-up"). We have about 10 plans for stand-up desks. Three are simple, easy to make MDF designs.
If you are under the care of a physical therapist, get back to us and we will adjust a desk design for you (Goggle "Air Typing").
Stand-up desks are often used by people with lower back pain. They often find relief by changing position about every 20 minutes. This can mean moving to a stand-up standing, to a stand-up sitting on a stool, to a conventional desk sitting. They may also need to a daily brake walking, and to do a 20 minute stretch routine.
i know people who got half their living room for free from others who just wanted to get rid of it but it was in too good condition to dump
Free speech was meant to be free for all... how can anyone grow up in a nanny state ?