The Agile Workplace

Our office recently renovated to create an Agile Workplace using sit-stand desks.   As much as I enjoy this new working concept, I realized early on there are certain adjustments to be made in order for you to fully take advantage of the benefits.  As a fitness professional, I felt it necessary to share my observations. 

Sitting at a desk promotes forward head posture that creates problems for your back and neck. We know this. It is the diligent individual who will try to combat this problem by working out actively all the time, by going to the gym or doing some yoga for example. However, since many of us are not consistent with this, it is good to know that one of the best solutions is a height-adjustable standing desk. A sit-stand desk is definitely the best solution as you will be able to both sit and stand while you work. You can change between these two poses with an easy press of a lever. 

Create standing/sitting intervals 

At first, you should try and use your standing desk as a simple stand up desk, so that you can become accustomed to standing while working. It will be a bother at first, as it’s a new and often tiresome thing, but after only a couple of days, you will get used to it and stop feeling any pain as your back and neck will adjust to this natural position. The trick is in creating standing intervals that will become longer and longer over time. You will have to start very slowly, by standing only for a couple of minutes and then sitting for a few minutes as well. There is no golden rule here, no fixed amount of minutes for each interval. The only rule is to progressively and slowly increase the time you spend standing in front of your stand up desk. Over time, you will have learned how to stand for more than half an hour without feeling anything. That’s the goal you have to strive for.

Avoid the infamous lean 

This was my biggest obstacle.  I caught myself doing this a lot. This is the leaning in a pose that most of us unconsciously so almost every time we stand next to a desk. It’s a “natural” tendency that all of us have, so you shouldn’t blame yourself for not being able to avoid doing it. Keep making a conscious effort to keep your back and head straight and stop shifting from hip to hip.  Our hips were tight before from sitting so now we need to balance on both feet with chest open, shoulders back, abdominals engaged, (more on this later).  Through time and persistence, you will start doing this unconsciously and create a new, natural pose for your body next to your sit-stand desk.  Take breaks with a short walk around the office – do some calf raises and shoulder rolls; make sure you wear comfortable shoes.  You must ensure that your shoes are comfortable and of good quality. You will feel energized and more productive. 

 Learn how to stand correctly

The most proper way to stand at a standing desk is to point your toes forward with your feet screwed into the ground. You should also activate most of your muscles in your legs and keep your back and neck straight. After a while, this will start to feel natural and you will always keep on standing like this, without feeling any pain or discomfort.

Put something soft beneath your feet

Your feet will feel fatigued after standing for too long. So what’s the solution here? Well, basically anything soft, like an anti-fatigue mat or any kind of soft surface will reduce the pressure on your feet and get the blood from pooling in your feet.

Preset your ergonomic workspace

Bear in mind that you need to put your height adjustable desk at the right height. It’s adjustable for a reason… The motorized desk needs to be at a height from which your monitor will be at the height of your eyes so that you won’t start changing your position in order to see better, like moving your head back or forward. Your keyboard also needs to be at chest height so that your hands are not in a position that can cause damage in the long run.  All of these small things are easily adjustable and will keep you from having problems in the future, so they are definitely very important to do when using a stand up desk.

Take breaks!

Just because you have a great sit-stand desk, that doesn’t mean that you should keep on using it without stopping. The right standing position with short walking sessions from time to time is definitely good, but you still have to have breaks! According to studies, you should alternate between standing and sitting. It's been proven that sitting too much cause bad effect for your health but standing too long also harm your body. Alternate between sitting and standing can help avoid body pain. You should stand 30 - 45 minutes for every hour, this will help you increase productivity and prevent disease.

Adjust Your Monitor's Height

You need to adjust your monitor to a recommended height with an adjustable monitor arm.  Ensure that your screen is on eye-level, but that it's not too close to your face. Ideally, if you stretch your hand outwards from your working position, your fingertips should only just touch the screen. Standing desks don't facilitate laptops very well where positioning is concerned. So, if you are using one as I do, make sure you have an external monitor, mouse, and keyboard. 

Roll Out Your Feet with a Lacrosse Ball

One of the best tips for standing desk use is to release the tension that becomes built up in your feet during the time you spend standing. The feet are the foundation of the body! Not doing this can be one reason you may find the standing portion of your sit-stand sessions to be very uncomfortable. Sometimes, it's not about the standing desk position or the mat that you are on.  Get yourself a lacrosse ball and roll it around with the balls of your feet as you stand sometimes. Not only do you get to release the built-up tension that you have, but you also strengthen your arches. If you feel too self-conscious to do this at work, make sure you do it every night when you come home before bedtime. 

Here's to happy sitting and standing 😊