Stand for Something. Anything at all. Your Life Depends On It: Or Other Less Dramatic Ergonomic Updates

I’m not usually a fan of sensational headlines, but “stand up more at work for health reasons” doesn’t exactly put butts in the seats. Or clicks on the blog as it were. The thing is, we here at Human Solution have been telling people about the benefits of a sit-stand lifestyle for years. Seriously, just last year I wrote about how one week on my feet was already changing things for the better. I haven’t quite hit the one year mark yet, but I’d like to do a checkup of sorts. It may be a little early, but rounding up is good in certain places. Like when dining out, the wait staff totally appreciates that kind of thing.

So after (almost) a year of standing in the office, what has my life become? Full disclosure, I’m not some sort of physical Adonis; it takes more than wishful thinking to fully improves one's fitness level. At the same time, there have been plenty of changes that have taken place since deciding to spend more time on my feet. You may experience the same changes once you make the switch to a height adjustable desk.

For one thing, your leisure time becomes slightly less leisurely. You know that magic moment, after a long day at work, where you get home, kick off your shoes, grab something to drink and plop down on the sofa? Yeah, that still happens, but about half an hour in, you may get a little fidgety. See, sitting all day has a way of draining your energy. The phrase “if you don’t use it, you lose it” comes to mind. So while I may be working all day, mixing up sitting and standing throughout the day keeps me energized for things after work. I no longer crave the comfort of my La-Z-Boy as much as I once did. Which, if used productively, could lead to more time at the gym.

Another immediate benefit is the way you interact with the world around you. My posture wasn’t terrible last year, but I’ve noticed now that people react to my six-foot-four frame a little more now. Since my workspace is optimized to work with me, and everything is in its right place, I no longer slouch as much, which helped with lingering back pain.

Most importantly, my overall health has improved. As we’ve discussed, sitting all day is literally taking years off of your life. The UPLIFT Desk I use at work came with my cube, was given to me, but I’m in the process of getting one for my home as well. It’s an investment that I’m willing to make to improve my quality of life. A simple gesture in the grand scheme of things. I’m not so delusional to think people will get rid of plush couches and chairs and replace them all with standing solutions (if you are getting rid of said chair though, think of me first). I'm just saying it’s a lot easier than you think to make the change from sitting to standing.

Start the process that could change your life at Thehumansolution.com

Related Reads:

• Yet Another Study Confirms the Benefits of Standing
• UPLIFT Desk Review
• Guest Post: The UPLIFT 900 is the Standing Desk for Photographers by Toby Gelston