Transitioning to Standing Desks

You've made the purchase.  

You've set it up at the workstation.  

What now?

You have heard the incredibly wonderful benefits of standing while working, and if not, please visit the following blog post here for more: Health Benefits of Standing Desks.  

In this post we will look at how to transition to working with a sit stand desk in the safest way and how to use it optimally to ensure you receive the greatest benefits for a long time to come.

Dos:

Start Slow

If you have been at your desk for 7-8 hours a day sitting, changing to standing in frequent sections throughout the day can take its toll on the body.  Your body requires time to build the muscle and joint strength to adjust with standing for frequent periods of time.  

Start with standing for 30 minutes a day and work up over a couple of weeks.  

Below is an image of how to structure your work day to alternate between sitting, standing and walking for healthier work.  As most desk jobs do not require walking for productive tasks, 'substituting sitting and standing in alternating bouts' would be the most ideal, productive schedule for a work day.

Image provided by: www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

Set A Timer

We are busy at work, and focus on the task at hand can lead us to forget about how we are sitting/standing.  To ensure you are reminded to sit or stand, simply set a timer on your phone or computer.  After a bit of time alternating between sitting and standing will become an automatic (and healthy!) habit that will bring you the most health benefits to your work life.

An Important Note 

The transition to using a standing desk should not present any new pain or discomfort.  Studies have shown when people experience pain or discomfort while transitioning to using a standing desk, deters them from using it in the future and the health benefits are not shown.  If you do find you have new presenting problems, check the above steps and try to adjust your schedule and environment so that you are supported - also, feel free to contact our team for any other suggestions to help you in using your new, best healthy asset for the work space.

View our full selection of standing desks here – if you have any questions at all, our staff would love to help. Send your inquiry to info@nomorepainergonomics.com.au and our team of experts will get back to you as soon as possible.