A standing desk is a type of desk that is made in a way that a person stands comfortably while working. It may be traced back in history to the time of Thomas Jefferson who used the desk for his architectural blueprint drawings. Most of its uses are health considerate and that is what makes this type of desk very essential for office people who stay there for long hours. For example, a standing desk is said to increase a person’s focus, helps one back, and helps to cut weight and many more that are broadly discussed below.
Pros
1. Back pain reduction: Sitting all day in an office may result to back pains. Research has shown however that standing for several hours in between the seat office time reduces the risks of back pain or rather reduces it. People opt for the option of a standup desk since it is efficient when it comes to back pain reduction.
2. Decreases the risk of heart diseases: Research done to determine whether standing for too long healthy is showed that the people who stood for long hours had fewer chances of contracting heart-related diseases. Individuals who seat for long hours however have increased chances of heart diseases. Research done to compare the cardiovascular mortality of conductors and their bus drivers showed that the conductors have few chances of heart disease contraction while the drivers had a higher risk.
3. Weight loss and obesity reduction: Sitting all day may increase one’s weight especially office people who consume a lot of calories. Standing while working reduces the chance of weight gain since one burns calories as they work, and the most efficient way is using a stand-up desk.
4. Blood sugar levels are lowered: Higher blood sugar levels may result in diabetes and this mostly is found in people who have increased blood sugars from time to time. Office individuals who sit all day may risk their health to become diabetic as sitting especially after lunch may increase their blood sugar levels. Standing after lunch for several hours, however, has been proved to reduce the risk of blood sugar increase. People sensitive to weight and blood sugar levels may opt to use a standing desk to take care of their blood sugar levels.
5. Focus improvement: People who sit all day are said to be depressed and anxious from time to time. Standing while working has been proved to increase office workers’ moods as well as their working energy and this further results in full concentration at work.
6. Improved productivity: More results are gained from the use of a standing desk as individuals using it has more energy and concentration on their work, Also, its health is considered as people work better when they are healthy. It is proved that the mental status of people who work while standing is magnificent which results in them getting the best results in work.
7. Increases mortality: Research has shown that people who sit most of the time die earlier than those who stand. Also, it is fundamental to note that the lesser time one seats in a day the higher chances of an increased lifespan of at least two years. A standing desk is the most efficient desk that helps a lot of people especially those that spend long hours in the office.
8. Stress level reduction: As mentioned earlier people who sit for long hours are more depressed which is brought about by work pressure or other work-related stresses. Standing while working reduces the stress as one can stretch and most of the frustrations and fatigue goes away.
9. Energy boost: Individuals using the standing desk have shown that they get more energized as they work while standing. As a result of the energy, they get to finish their tasks on time and get better results.
10. Increased creativity: Working while standing helps an individual to brainstorm and get fantastic work ideas. This is a result of better blood circulation in the body which helps one to think well than that person who is working while seated.
Cons
1. Fatigue and muscle stiffness: Standing for too long causes too much pressure on the lower part of the body which leads to muscle strains which eventually leads to fatigue.
2. Shoe limitations: This especially applies to the ladies as many are required to always put on comfortable shoes that one can stand on for long standing hours. This means that those who have high heels need to consider getting more comfortable shoes.
3. Bad posture: This mostly affects the laptop users as the standing desk is made in a way that its comfortable for those using a desktop as there are specific places for the mouse as well as the keyboard. For laptop users, however, they are forced to lean on the desk to work and that contributes to a bad posture.
4. Uncomfortable for lunch: Many office employees eat at their workplaces and research has shown that people prefer eating while seated. Using a standing desk for lunch is not well accepted.
5. Uncomfortable: Some people get distracted and uneasy as they may be the only ones using the desk which exposes them to the rest of their co-workers.
6. Impossible to multitask: It becomes difficult to do a lot of activities while standing. For example, one may find it hard to look at his or her paperwork as well as use their computers and phones at the same time.
7. Muscle related disorders: Standing for long hours may cause muscle aches and knees to get hurt as well as numbness of the feet.
8. Lower back problems: A standing desk can reduce back pains but at the same time cause damage to the lower back especially if one stands for too long.
In conclusion, it is evident that standing desks were there from Thomas Jefferson’s time to date and they are gaining popularity in the workplace. As discussed above these types of desks have their share of advantages and disadvantages. Individuals should learn and get to know which type of desk suits their working space as well as those that contribute positively to their work productivity.
