The 5 Tried and Tested Benefits of a Standing Desk
Standing at work—really? This is a thing now?
Well, yes. Really. And, it has proven benefits, too. And not just in physical health but also in productivity, mental wellbeing, overall happiness, you name it. If you look at most modern workplaces today, you’ll notice one of the newest innovations to be the use of ergonomic standing desks in place of old, bulky, fixed desks, and exactly for this reason—to reduce prolonged sitting and promote more standing at work.
Here's why:
Say goodbye to body pain
Prolonged sitting has always been associated with back pain due to poor posture and muscles getting locked in one position for hours. If your work involves sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours or more in a day, you probably end up not only with lower and upper back pain but also numbness on your shoulders and neck due to lack of support and movement, as well as pain on your legs and knees due to poor circulation.
A standing desk will allow you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day, engaging key muscles in your body and allowing them to constantly move and adjust, thereby preventing poor posture and keeping them engaged and healthy, resulting to no pain. Additionally, getting a laptop stand for desk purposes will also help prevent any upper back and neck pain due to looking down on your screen for too long. This keeps your neck in a neutral position, preventing any strain and pain.
Say hello to increased productivity
The improved circulation that results from standing and constant movement helps maintain a steady supply of blood and oxygen to the brain. In turn, this results to improved creativity and critical thinking, as well as more focus and alertness, qualities that are helpful both at work and when dealing with tasks that require a higher level of thinking outside the box and innovative ideas.
If you want to increase your day-to-day productivity at work, consider standing and moving more with a standing desk.
Move more naturally
There’s been a lot of hype lately about alternative movements such as exercise, pilates, yoga, and other similar activities. However, research shows that exercise cannot really offset the harmful effects brought by hours and hours of living a sedentary lifestyle. So, what can? Well, the answer is simple—natural movement, those things you do mindlessly everyday to perform tasks and put your daily life in order.
In the limited hours you have in a day, it might feel impossible to practice more natural movement. Well, at work, a standing desk can help. With a standing desk, alternating between sitting and standing throughout your workday becomes easier and more natural, and it’s a good way to build the habit of standing more and breaking your sedentary work lifestyle. With more standing at work coupled with exercise, you’re all set!
Your natural snooze buster
Feeling sluggish at work and sleepy after lunch? Prolonged sitting can do that to you. With blood and oxygen not circulating well around your body, it’s easy to feel the lack of energy and enthusiasm throughout your day. If you feel like you’ve lost your zest for work and you’re just going through your day mechanically, it’s time to evaluate your daily work habits. Do you sit a lot and seldom get up from your chair? Do you spend your free time slumped on your desk browsing through social media? If you do, it’s easy to feel lethargic, disinterested, and just going through the motions.
Break the habit by simply standing more. Set your alarm so that you stand every hour. Devote 15-30 minutes of work standing (and then build over time). Set your standing desk to your perfect standing height so it’s easy and effortless to shift between sitting and standing throughout the day. And get up, walk around, approach colleagues—these will help you regain joy in the workplace.
Real cost benefits for employers
While standing desks offer real and practical benefits to employees, they offer the same level of benefits to employers, too—and these can very well be translated to cost benefits. How? Well, sedentary habits are linked to critical diseases such as coronary conditions, diabetes, and hypertension, among others. These are often associated with costs brought by loss of employee productivity (due to absences from work or minimal productivity in a given day), costs on healthcare, as well as costs on retraining of new employees in case old employees resign due to illness.
By investing in standing desks in the workplace, employers are not only investing on their employees but also on their business. By creating a healthy work environment for everyone, it’s a win-win!
Choosing the Right Standing Desk: Key to Creating a Healthy Workplace
The MotionGrey Motion Series Standing Desk is a favorite among employees and employers. You will find this in many offices today, as well as in many homes. It is an automated adjustable desk that can move from sitting to standing height with a single press of a button. Powered by dual motors from the global manufacturer Bosch, each desk has excellent weight carrying capacity and movement speed, perfect for demanding working environments.
If you are ready to break free from your sedentary lifestyle, consider the Motion Series standing desk your first investment.
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