The Psychological Benefits of a Standing Desk

I have been using a standing desk ever since I started working at Human Solution a little over a year ago. It’s great, because my electric adjustable height desk allows me to alternate from a seated to a standing position throughout the day, and I’ve recently added a desk treadmill to the mix, so now I have three different options -- sitting, standing or walking while I work.

I definitely notice a physical benefit. For example, when I am seated, my knees and hips tend to get tight, and standing up and stretching them out is really helpful. After I stand for a while, my lower back lets me know it’s time to switch it up, and I sit. If I can’t seem to find relief in either position, I know it’s time to start walking.

One thing I’ve never really considered with my standing desk were the psychological benefits. But Pitch Dreams’ recent post on the subject really made me think about this. Blog post author Ben says that he feels more of a psychological impact than a physical one while using his standing desk. He claims to feel more engaged, alert and productive while standing, even though he does not experience much physical relief in a standing position over a seated one.

After some reflection, I realized that I'm experiencing the same psychological benefits. When I'm at a point where I can’t concentrate anymore, or when I'm about to start a new task, it always helps me to change postures. Also, I have made it a habit to start every day standing up. Part of my morning routine is to boot up my computer and raise my desk. If I don’t do this, it’s just like skipping my morning coffee. I feel somewhat sluggish and slow to get started.

I guess on one hand, I find the post in Pitch Dreams to be accurate – I am definitely experiencing the “psychological” benefits they refer to, in that I feel more alert, focused and productive while using an adjustable height desk. On the other hand, I can’t help wonder if those benefits are directly related to the fact that I feel better physically. Either way, it’s a positive result!

Check out some of our adjustable-height workstations at TheHumanSolution.com.