There has been a lot of press recently about sitting versus standing, sitting on a ball, walking on a treadmill or working on a bicycle. Is sitting really worse than smoking for your health? Don’t be pulled in by a lot of hype. There is some truth buried in there but you have to dig to find it. Here you go:
- Having a standing desk is not going to make you more healthy. Studies have shown that standing and sitting are good for you – no disagreement there. However, you have to understand the component pieces of that: ***it is the movement between sitting and standing, the alternating any position frequently , the keeping active, the moving blood around, and the not acting like a bump on a log that is making you healthier. ***
- Equipment won’t fix all the problems. The truth is that we can give you the best equipment in the world and you will still fall into bad habits. The bad habit of sitting slouched in the chair isn’t totally the chair’s fault. You have to make an effort to help yourself.
- You don’t need a standing desk to achieve #1 and 2. Think about this rule: any time my hands are not on the keys my butt does not need to be in the seat. That means standing to talk on the phone (even if you answer it, stand to say hello, and then sit back down – remember, movement is the most important thing): standing for meetings, standing to use your cell, standing to do paperwork at a shelf or on a clipboard set on the back of your chair, or just going for a walk around the building. Again, you have to make an effort to help yourself.
