There has been a bit of a revolution in the Catered Fit offices… from Marketing to IT, our team has ditched their chairs for the flexibility and health benefits of a convertible standing desk. It started as any trend does, with a forward thinking trendsetter. At first, just one team member decided he spent too much time seated and that it was time to stand up, and just like that, it spread like wildfire.
In today’s digital age, it’s easy to spend all day parked in front of a screen, forgetting to look up or stand up. Before you know it, it’s been 8-10 hours. We emerge from our chairs, turn off the screens, stand up, stretch, and walk to the car where we take another seat for the commute home. Even if you workout daily, sitting stagnant at your desk for such an extended period can still impact your body and the way it works.
A standing desk is any desk that lets you work comfortably while standing. That could be your current desk with a few modifications, like an apple crate or a tall stack of book to set your monitor and keyboard on. If you’re interested in investing in something even cooler, try an adjustable standing desk, one that you are able to move up and down so that you can easily go from sitting to standing.
Here are our top three reasons why we think you should have a standing desk!
1. Standing lowers risk of weight gain
We all know it’s about calories in and calories out – we have to burn more than we are consuming to lose weight. If we are sitting for nearly eight hours a day, the occasional bathroom break isn’t gonna cut it. Standing at your desk gives you more opportunity to move, stretch, and work your body to help burn calories that you’d be stuck with if you were sitting.
2. Standing decreases strain on your body
If you want to improve your posture and reduce eye strain, a standing desk is for you. Make sure when you’re in a standing position that your computer screen is just above eye level. This causes you to look up slightly to see, preventing hunching and slouching as you work. Adjust your standing desk so that your elbows are slightly higher than the keyboard, reducing strain on your wrists. Standing also prevents you from crossing your legs as you sit at your desk, a habit most of us have been scolded for by nurses taking our blood pressure.
3. Increases Energy
Standing allows blood to freely flow through your body and deliver more oxygen to your muscles. Poorly circulated blood is linked to fatigue, cold hands and feet, and legs that feel heavy and tired. By standing and improving your circulation, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself with more energy and much improved productivity.
Here’s what our Marketing Coordinator, Emily, has to say about her new digs:
“Before my standing desk, I felt like my shoulders were always up to my ears, that’s how bad sitting affected my posture. I wasn’t sleeping well because my neck and shoulders ached every single night. Standing at my new desk has been such a relief to my body and it’s also gotten me to walk away from my computer for a few minutes every hour, relieving tension and stress. For me, it’s really had a snowball effect.”