The last couple of years my back has been killing me, especially if I sit at my desk for a long period of time. I was at the point of not being able to sleep on my back because the position was very painful. After researching about my back pain and the long hours of sitting on my desk, I found several articles recommending stand up desks, so the journey began.
Most standing desks are highly expensive and the price makes it impossible to “try” if you are not sure. Most standing desks are over $1000 dollars and paying that price for something that you may reject shortly after, it is not worth the money. There are several ikea hacks that people had created, but most of them didn’t suit my needs. So, I kept looking for a better alternative.
After long months of reading pros and cons of standing desk and looking for a cheaper option, I found a nice standing desk on Amazon that the price made worth trying. In case it changes, the price at the time (October 1st, 2014) was $281.55.
My Stand Up Desk Set Up
My setup is like any other developer. I have two 23 inch screens, so I needed a desk wide enough for both screens. Moreover, after reading reviews of people that quit standing desks, I decided to get a folding table at Walmart that works as alternative or secondary desk that I only use for my laptop or when I am tired. In addition, I got an anti-fatigue mat to feel more comfortable while working for several hours in a row.
My Own Experience
All in all, I feel the standing desk was a wise decision, with a positive result. It has improved my concentration, as now I can work on a project for hours in a row or until I finish the particular feature or fix a bug on my code. Furthermore, it has dramatically improved my productivity, because I feel like a urgency of finishing what I am doing. I cannot explain that clearly, but once I start working on something, the concentration and urgency to finish fast kicks in. But, roses come with thorns, so I need to talk about the negative aspects of using a standing desks as well.
It takes a long time to get used to standing all day, particularly if you had worked for years sitting in front of your computer. Thus, at the beginning it was really difficult to stay for at least an hour without needing to rest. I was very happy that I got the folding table to work every now and then sitting with my laptop, so i can alternate between sitting and standing. In addition, I was very tired at the end of the day because I was standing for over 5-6 hours every day, which I was not used to. Once I am done with work, I feel like I need to sit for the rest of the night, which is good because a break from work is a good thing.
Conclusion
The transition from traditional desks to standing desks can be difficult. But, in my opinion, it is to be expected because we as human beings are always resistant to change. However, the standing desks can make our lives healthier and make us more productive in our daily work.