Research shows that sedentary lifestyles are killing us, and there have been a thousand headlines. By now, you’ve probably heard the saying, “Sedentary is the new smoking” because of the harm it takes to our health. The concept has even invaded pop culture. In the sitcom, strong corporate female characters swap the shoulder pads of the power suit for a treadmill desk.
Studies have shown that switching from a sitting position to a standing position can maintain blood flow and help prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Here’s how to leave some standing room in your office space at home.
1. Think like an architect. Anyone who has attended architecture school knows that drawing tables give you excellent options for both standing and sitting. While most professions don’t require Mayline, an electric eraser, and a tilting desk, the option to slide to a drawing stool or stand up can help you switch things up while you’re working. Frankly, I’ve never found a drawing bench that is very comfortable, so they always motivate me to get up after about 20 minutes of sitting.
2. Place a standing desk outside of your home office space. If you can do most of your work on your laptop, you don’t need to mess with your standing workstation. You can easily integrate it into a room outside of the office, and it’s nice to take these extra steps as you change your environment during the day and move between spaces. In addition, you can take advantage of the view that you can’t see in the office to motivate you to get up, move around, and stand more.
3. Think like a small house owner. This simple clamshell surface can be placed directly against the wall when not in use.
4. If you have limited space but don’t want to use a flip desk, mount the desk to the wall. This makes it possible to add a second table in a small space. I recommend using an adjustable stand so you can adjust the height of the table.
Speaking of which, fine-tuning the height of a standing desk can be tricky. There are online calculators that can help you figure out the most ergonomic method based on your body measurements. Make sure to wear shoes that provide good support when standing and incorporate them into your height measurements. You can also decide to add a support pad, just like the one commonly used in front of the kitchen sink. If you do, you’ll need to incorporate it into your height measurement as well. If more than one family member will be using this table, you will need a height-adjustable table.
5. Adopt a two-tier solution. I don’t know how many people want to stand all the time, and finding a place to sit down when you’re in a bad mood is a great solution. This tall bookcase shelf doubles as a standing work surface, but the more traditional built-in desk allows for sitting work.
6. Create a perch with a view of the scenery. In this Boston loft, a table cantilevered over a railing offers views of the main living space and the city from the window. This place attracts families to come over and do some stand-up comedy.
7. Look like a mad professor. The mix of wood and iron on tall French tables, anatomical drawings, lamps, and other accessories all give this home workspace a retro academic-style appeal. There is no doubt that the discomfort of sitting on a stool will prompt the user to get up from their seat and stand up.
8. Also add standing manual time. Large, messy projects often need to be unfolded and standing. This smart station has high stools for sitting and standing. Place the island in the center of the room, leaving space around it for work and stretching. I even want to lift my feet up and stretch like I’m on a barbar. Anything that makes you lunge, squat, or do push-ups is a good thing. As you transition from standing to sitting, join in some.