Workers in hands-on professions have long known the benefits of completing tasks while standing. Framing a print, for instance, is difficult to do while seated at a desk. But finding the appropriate height at which to both frame a print and, say, apply custom gift wrap to an expensive present can sometimes necessitate flat working areas of differing heights.
Say hello to the standing desk, a unit – often equipped with electric controls for setting and adjusting work heights – that can accommodate changes in work height. And when the units are properly assembled and operated, some workers report that they come to prefer standing at their desks than sitting at them.
Some standing desks arrive unassembled. Most are easy enough to put together, though you will want to check to see if you’ve got all of the right tools before constructing your custom unit.
Another pre-assembly consideration is where the desk will be used. In order to offer enough stability and reliability, many standing desk units turn out to be heavier than expected. It only makes sense to assemble the unit in the area in which you expect to use it the most.
You might need to take a bit of time to figure out where, exactly, the unit should be parked. Your traditional desk space will likely continue to serve you well, so a standing unit probably isn’t a good idea as an immediate replacement. In shared workspaces, however, standing desks could replace or even complement meeting tables, not to mention common work areas that sometimes only serve as a repository for extraneous items like binders, samples and files.
Depending on the nature of your work (not to mention the moods of your colleagues), you may find that standing desks can become shared workspaces, with two or three users working at their laptops, possibly while also holding an impromptu meeting.
Do take care to check and adjust your posture, especially for the first few days. Take breaks as needed and shift your weight from one foot to the other, as well. And by continuing to augment your workday with traditional desk and meeting spaces, the standing desk will ultimately find its rightful place in your routine.
