Best Practices in the Use of a Standing Desk

Are you ready for a healthier, happier work life? Start by striving to have a balanced and healthy lifestyle at work! Move more with a standing desk!

An ergonomic standing desk can be the solution that will help you break free from the clasp of a sedentary lifestyle at work. Sitting for long hours? No more! Slouching on your desk? Nope! It’s time to stand more, move more, and take charge of your life! And to make sure you are on the right track in your new sit-stand lifestyle, we have outlined in this article some simple and easy-to-follow tips and tricks in the use of a sit-stand desk.

Using the Standing Desk Correctly

Once you decide to embark on a sit-stand lifestyle at work, the first important thing to do is to choose the right standing desk. The second important thing to do is to make sure you use the desk properly. This is what we’ll focus on in this article.

Best Practice #1: Set the desk at the correct height

Before you use your desk, make sure that you set it at the correct height. The success of your new lifestyle largely depends on this. Each electric standing desk has a specific height range, and you must get one that can accommodate yours. And to set the desk to the correct height, you can do that via the keypad built into the desk.

Set the desk at a height that will allow you to comfortably place your hands and wrists on the desk’s surface, in such a way that your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle. This is the right height for you. Once you’ve set it, save it via the keypad so you can easily move to this height the next time you are alternating between sitting and standing.

Best Practice #2: Getting the right support for your feet and legs

When making the shift to more standing at work, one of the first things you must do is to get the right footwear, one that can offer your feet sufficient support as you stand. Go for flats instead of high heels.

In addition to getting the right shoes, consider getting an anti-fatigue mat. This is a rubber mat that you can stand on as you work on your standing desk. It provides added cushion and support to your feet, absorbing the strain and pressure caused by standing on a concrete floor for a long time. With the combination of good shoes and a good mat, you can be off to a good start without feeling fatigued.

Best Practice #3: Getting the right amount of standing time

When it comes to making the shift to standing more in the office, the more the better doesn’t always work, especially if you’re in the early part of the journey. In fact, standing too much may be detrimental to your progress. Why? Well, too much standing in the beginning when your muscles haven’t fully adjusted to the extra work yet—this can lead to extreme fatigue and might discourage you from continuing on in the journey.

The best approach here is to stand little by little—starting with a few minutes of standing time in an hour, and then adding more minutes as you get used to the new habit. This will make the habit more sustainable in the long run.

Best Practice #4: Optimizing your Workstation

What does this mean? Well, this simply means designing your desk and your workstation in such a way that it supports your new lifestyle. For one, keep your desk neat and tidy, free from clutter. Eliminate anything that doesn’t need to be in there. This will improve not just your physical but also mental health—your focus and productivity at work.

This also means equipping your desk with the right add-ons to help complement your new habits. Once you’ve set the desk to the correct height, make sure you set your monitors, keyboard, and mouse to the correct height, too. Consider monitor arms to easily reposition your monitors while working. And for added work comfort, you may also check keyboard trays.

Best Practice #5: Move more naturally and keep a good posture

Going into a sit-stand lifestyle is a big leap towards living a healthier life, but don’t stop there. Find more opportunities to move at work. This could mean doing regular stretches in between tasks, walking around your space to keep engaging your muscles, going for the stairs instead of the elevators, and other healthy practices you can follow.

As you stand, pay attention to your posture, too. Make sure you stand straight and do not lean or hunch over your computer. Keep your shoulders and back relaxed. These will help make the experience so much more fruitful.

And now that we have all these, let’s go back to the first important thing to do when you decide to practice the sit-stand lifestyle: find the right ergonomic standing desk. If you haven’t found one yet, try the MotionGrey Standing Desk, a high-quality ergonomic desk designed for various types of users and working environments. The desk is built with a high-grade steel frame paired with a stylish and durable table top, giving you a reliable desk to give your workstation and your lifestyle a boost. Check the MotionGrey catalog to find great options for you.