You've read the articles (Remember? When you were procrastinating at work?) about all the different sorts of strain and other negative effects sitting at a desk all day every day can have on your body -- we're talking back pain, high blood pressure, strain all over your body.
So why are you still sitting?
Maybe it's because you just don't know when to use a standing desk. Maybe you think standing desks are silly or ineffective. Maybe you hadn't really realized there was another option at all.
But the truth is, using a standing desk can bring tons of benefits to you, your body, and your mind!
Work may be stressful or tiring, but that doesn't mean using your desk should be, too.
Many people find that their productivity and overall quality of life is greatly improved just by electing to use a standing desk. Read on for 4 common office tasks that are made way easier with a standing desk!
1. Getting Organized
One of the most appealing ways a standing desk can help you with general office tasks and keep you going through those dreary days in your cubicle is by helping you to stay more organized within your personal office areas!
It may sound funny at first. How will standing change your organization habits?
But the fact is, when you use a standing desk, your feet are always moving. You're constantly ready to shift here or walk there. When you're standing, your whole office is just an arm's length (and maybe a few steps) away!
If you're working at a standing desk, your body is already prepared to get moving. You're on your feet and ready to walk over to that filing cabinet or squat down to the lowest drawer beside your desk.
When you're sitting at a standard desk, it's way easier to toss whatever you've been working on into the growing pile on your desktop than it is to swivel clumsily around your office space to file things away correctly.
A standing desk keeps you at the ready to put things back where they go, helping you to keep that tidy office you never had while sitting at your desk every day!
2. Dealing with Loads of Paperwork
It seems like standard office setups were never really made for those of us who spend our days shoveling around and sorting through piles of paper. When it comes to organizing and other tasks that require loads more flexibility than your sitting desk ever allowed, a standing desk is your new best friend.
In the same way standing desks can help you with organizing your office space, they can help you perform higher-volume paperwork tasks a lot more easily.
When you're on your feet and ready to move, you begin to utilize your entire office space, rather than just the few square feet your desktop provides where it isn't taken up with your computer screen, keyboard, and the framed picture from that cruise you took 2 years ago.
Lots of tasks that require a lot of physical paper can get super frustrating when you're working with super limited space; a standing desk can help you combat this and better perform wide spreading office tasks. A standing desk better enables you to move freely around your office, utilizing surface spaces you would never have from your traditional desk chair.
3. Staying Connected
Another benefit of ditching your desk chair for a standing desk has to do with the social aspect of your office. Studies show that standing while working can not only help things like back pain and blood pressure -- it can actually improve your mood!
You already know about how standing at your desk keeps your body at the ready to get moving again; but standing at your desk can actually make your more likely to get up and moving around other coworkers' offices, too.
Standing at your desk can lead to increased willingness to collaborate and promotion of teamwork among coworkers.
Even beyond interactions with coworkers, frequent changes in scenery are known to promote brain activity and boost energy. Standing at your desk puts you one step closer to this!
A lot of the negative aspects of the modern workplace stem from feelings of isolation and monotony--but if you're always prepared to stand up and walk across the office to ask Jim about those numbers you need for that report, you'll feel more energetic and more well-connected to the rest of your office!
4. Feeling Productive
Speaking of "energy!" One of the most popular and awesome benefits of standing desks is the added energy it brings.
Ever get back from lunch and realize you just don't feel like working anymore? That's because sedentary jobs are actually closely linked with anxious and depressive mindsets.
The majority of people who elect to use standing desks for at least part of the workday report increased productivity and lower levels of that "sluggish" feeling that usually sets in before the end of a workday.
When you sit for an extended period of time, your body enters a certain level of "autopilot" and as a result, you start to feel less alert. Many people also notice a remarkable decrease in the quality of their work when they start to feel fatigued.
Standing at your desk may be just what you need to help jerk your mind back into gear and stay alert and productive all day long!
When to Use a Standing Desk
Wait, are you still sitting?
If you're still wondering when to use a standing desk, the answer is now!
Using a standing desk, even for part of the workday, is a great way to make several common office tasks more enjoyable and easier.
If you want to be more comfortable and more productive, consider investing in an awesome new standing desk today!