How to Transition to a Standing Desk

Transitioning to a Standing Desk? We Can Help.

For desk users who are used to a traditional seated desk, learning how to transition to a standing desk takes a bit of retraining. In the end, it’s all worth the effort when you start to experience the positive impacts of a standing desk on your physical health, mental health, and overall work experience.

Standing vs. Sitting

An adjustable height desk provides the optimal ergonomic environment for a desk user. Time spent sitting is linked to a number of health problems, and in a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, has even been shown to raise the risk of mortality from all causes. Height adjustable standing desks are one of the best ways to minimize the negative impact that sitting for a prolonged period of time can have on the body.

Height adjustability is important because standing all day is not beneficial either, and can lead to a host of issues including muscle pain and lower back pain. Having the option to move between a seated and upright position is ideal for most people, as it relieves muscle pressure, encourages energy levels to rise, and keeps blood flowing properly.

Standing Desk Benefits

Developing a standing desk habit has several health benefits as you begin to spend more time standing vs sitting. Adjustable height desks can help desk users:

• Gain more natural energy throughout the day: Standing can help increase energy levels and potentially encourage workers to cut back on caffeine, which is more likely to cause energy peaks and crashes throughout the day.
• Alleviate muscle pain: Alternating between seated and standing positions helps desk users to feel fewer muscle aches associated with bad posture and prolonged periods in the same position. A study published in the Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society demonstrated that an adjustable height desk measurably improves posture variability as well as overall comfort at the end of the day. Greater comfort at your workstation not only affects your work experience, it even helps you feel better in life outside of work.
• Beat fatigue and focus issues: Staying seated for hours on end can lead to tiredness and impede focus. Changing postures from sitting to standing increases blood flow, increasing alertness and improving focus similar to the way exercise does.
• Move and stretch: Standing desks encourage movement and can add additional exercise to the workday, which benefits workers both physically and mentally. Add some office desk exercises to increase the benefit even more!
• Feel more content during (and after) work hours: Standing can positively impact a desk user’s mental health.

How to Start Using a Standing Desk

While getting a standing desk is a positive change for desk users, there are a few steps you can take to ensure you feel comfortable when you start getting used to your adjustable height desk.

Standing Desk Setup

If you want to alleviate back, neck, and wrist pain, make sure you are creating an ergonomic desk experience overall. Adjust the desk so it is at the proper height, sitting and standing, for whoever is using the desk. When standing, stand straight in front of the desk, stretch your hands down, and bend your arms at the elbow so that they are at 90º to the floor. Be sure to should factor in keyboard height by adjusting the work surface height slightly lower than your elbow.

Don’t Feel Pressured to Stop Sitting

For many people, a mixture of sitting and standing throughout the day is recommended. Listen to your body! New desk users shouldn’t attempt to stand all day, as they may find themselves with muscle aches without working up to it.

How Long Should You Stand at a Standing Desk?

For people who have never used a standing desk, it may seem intimidating to stand all day. That’s OK – standing all day isn’t recommended! Best practices include standing for at least 15 minutes for every hour spent sitting, for most people, although some people prefer to work for multiple hours standing up. First time standing desk users should start incrementally and work their way up, doing whatever feels most comfortable.

Explore Ergonomic Standing Desk Chairs

Believe it or not, a great chair is essential for your height adjustable standing desk posture, to ensure that you are able to adjust the alignment of your shoulders, spine, and hips for proper sitting posture. To avoid back pain, choose a chair that offers at minimum a lumbar adjustment and height adjustment when seated.

To optimize the experience of using a standing desk, consider getting an ergonomic desk chair so you can maintain comfortable, natural posture and improve back pain. The Standing Desk offers ergonomic desk chairs for standing desk users including:

• The Sthul, height adjustable a backless stool that requires you to engage your core muscles, and is designed to encourage movement and balance.
• Sitting task chairs with lumbar support like the Sella, and sit/stand task chairs like the Alta Sella.

Adjustable Height Desks from The Standing Desk

The Standing Desk offers both pneumatic and electric adjustable height desks that are designed for easy adaptability. Both types are among the fastest available in their class, which means you’re more likely to use them as intended, changing positions frequently.

Pneumatic Desks

Pneumatic adjustable height desks are raised and lowered with the assistance of compressed air cylinders. Pneumatic desks are unique in their quiet, speedy adjustability. Their industry leading 3-second adjustment makes it easier to adopt a regular sit/stand schedule. And with no cords or electrical components, a pneumatic desk is a little easier on the environment.

The Standing Desk offers three pneumatic desks suited for different needs:

The Andern, pneumatic desk is a single-column desk suitable for laptops or for a laptop and a single monitor. The Andern is available with a 40” or 48” surface width.

The Luften pneumatic desk is a twin-column desk with a 60” wide surface that works well for larger monitors.

The Kloud pneumatic desk is a weight adjustable desk designed to lift heavier loads (up to 150 lbs.)

Electric Desks

The Standing Desk offers two electric desks models. Electric adjustable height desks have powerful electric motors to assist with lifting and lowering heavier loads. Premium electric desks offer brushless electric motors for quieter operation and longer lifespans.

The Oben electric desk can lift up to 250 lbs., and is offered with either a 48” or 60” wide surface.

The Andern electric features the same single-column design as the Andern pneumatic, and its 40” or 48” wide surface works well for smaller spaces.

Start Standing

When you find the right standing desk for your needs, adapting to your new, healthier working arrangement quickly becomes second nature. To make sure you like your choice, The Standing Desk offers a 30 day trial period. Take some time to transition to your new standing desk, knowing you can return it risk-free for any reason.