How has standing or standing-sitting vs sitting while working affected your life?
How has standing or standing-sitting vs sitting while working affected your life?
Sadly, you’d be wrong. In a country where many are too lazy to wash their hands, there’s a lot of crossover with being too lazy to exercise.
I used to weigh 350 pounds. What precipitated my weight loss was noticing that, when I got up from my chair, my hips would have to get right (sorry, that’s the best way I can explain it) before I’d be able to walk to the copier or go to the rest room. It was a huge early warning sign.
During COVID I switched from a sit-stand-walk around type job to WFH sitting for the full 8+ hours. I found myself spiraling into some real hip and lower back pain until I invested in some new home office furniture to enable more standing and moving around.
Cheapo walking treadmill was the best $125 Bezos bucks I spent during lockdown.
Walking makes a huge difference.
I average around 14,000 steps a day, and the health benefits to your heart, lungs, joints, and back can’t be overstated.
For me, the biggest benefits have been:
12 hour desk job. Had Hermann Miller chairs in office but now at WFH I’ve only just started to upgrade my chairs. I’m active, I’m a runner…but I feel it. I always feel off following my several shifts. It takes a lot just to get back to baseline.
If I slack on my stretches I definitely notice the lower back especially.
I probably should get a desk treadmill…
If you have back problems, get a wide desk, a smaller desk to place on one side, set up two workspaces for one computer, and place a treadmill under the one where you can stand.
Then alternate between sitting and walking with timers. I recommend 10 minutes of walking, 30 minutes of sitting, rince and repeat. Your back issues will be as much as cured, and you’ll also not have to worry about heart problems because you’ll essentially be walking a few kilometers every day.
If you can’t sit for 30 minutes, 10 min walking and 5 minute sitting works just as well. Just don’t walk for too long at a time. 10-20 minutes is a good amount. If you’re fine with just standing, I still r ecommend alternating. Don’t stand for more than 30 minutes at a time.
If I didn’t have this setup I would have been without a job right now. Absolutely recommend it.
There’s an alternative missing in all these graphics: Feet not on the ground.
If your feet are on the ground for hours and hours your heart will be in trouble to pump the blood back up all the way. It’s even worse with standing. So see to that your feet are not on the ground, rest your legs on some support under the table, sit cross legged (it’s feasible even in office chairs) and take every pose that’s not feet in the ground.
Your venes and your heart will thank you.
I had a standing desk at my old job and liked it a lot.
So when a desk riser came up at an op shop for $20, I snapped that up.
I tend to have the desk up when I’m gaming or studying, and lowered if I feel like I just want to chill and watch some YouTube.
However I wasn’t aware of the sit-stand technique, so I may give this a go!
Made a big difference honestly. Used to work in an office where I sat for 8hrs a day and my back/legs would go numb after awhile. Went all in on an ergo set up during COVID. Sit-stand desk, split keyboard, vertical mouse, etc. I figure if I use them more than 40 hrs a week and they prevent some form of RSI or back-pain, it’s worth it.
Also, the other half of the equation is stretching, yoga, and walking. If I have to wait 5 min for something to run, I’ll do a quick stretch while waiting.
A vertical mouse really helped me at home with my wrists. I was concerned it would negatively affect gaming, and FPS specifically. While there was a bit of muscle memory retraining the first few sessions of play, it seemed to improve my performance. Bonus, I’d say, since long play sessions would usually lead to slight wrist pain before.
Where it didn’t improve performance was with my wife. Or so she says!
despite being morbidly obese and not going to the gym
I think you have other problems though. Hope you get that sorted out so you’ll love longer, mate. ❤️
You need to also use a standing mat to avoid your your feet/legs getting tired too quickly while you’re standing. Get a good one, not some cheap knock-off.
Also, like already suggested: take as many walks as you can. Not just standing still. Walking will help you heart make the bllod flow better. Plus, it’s great for the health in general, and for the head ;)
Whatever you call something like this:
Mr Handy?