
Make Yourself a Standing Desk This Weekend - iProject
http://lifehacker.com/5929765/make-yourself-a-standing-desk-this-weekend
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tzs
But first read this and decide if the health risks are worth it:
<http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUESitStand.html>

~~~
andrewfelix
Also _try_ it first! I tried it for 3 weeks. First week hurt like buggery, 2nd
week felt great, 3rd week I really started to ache in my legs bad.

It really takes it out of you. I'm now looking for a solution that allows me
to alternate regularly between standing and sitting.

~~~
brudgers
It took me about three months to really adapt to a standing workspace. What I
found interesting during the adaptation period was that when I needed a break,
I would walk away from the desk and sit down, and that it was easier to
continue to be productive during these breaks than it had been when my
workspace was seated.

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dugmartin
I tried it for three days by simply taking a rigid plastic utility table with
the legs still folded up and putting it on a couple of milk crates that I put
on my desk. I then used bungee cords to tie the folding table through the
crates to my desk. It was nice and stable and allowed me to put all 3 of my
24" monitors on it.

I'm glad I spent no money on it because after 3 days my feet and back were
killing me. I tried barefoot, with running shoes and even with an anti-fatigue
mat that was in the basement workshop when I bought my house.

~~~
rogerbinns
Note that you can buy drafting chairs which can be the right height for
standing desks. Then you can alternate between standing and sitting.
[http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=1069142](http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=1069142)

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iuguy
I started looking into standing desks a few weeks ago, but not having one have
recently started using my ironing board. It's not an ideal height for me, but
it's pretty good. My goals are to use the ironing board 3 days a week, sitting
the other two and alternate between over the working week.

When I'm standing I make sure I have two sit down breaks of 5-15 minutes (at
least 5-10 minutes in the morning around 11am and 15 minutes around 3pm). This
means that the longest I stand continuously is about 2 hours.

When I'm sitting I take a 5 minute break every hour and a 15 minute break in
the afternoon.

I also try to do some Yoga 3 times a week which is working with mixed results
at the moment.

The main thing I've noticed is that while normally I get fairly sleepy between
2 and 4pm and my productivity tends to drop, when I'm standing my productivity
is fine and I don't get tired in the afternoon. I've also noticed my posture
has improved as I'm no longer hunched over a keyboard all the time, and I no
longer slouch.

The other thing I've noticed when standing is that I'm much likely to go and
refill my water during the day just to get away from the screen for a minute
or two when I need to. Sitting down I'll forget I have water (or at least run
out) and it'll be another hour or two before I get some. I'm not quite sure
why this is the case.

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rogerbinns
Any idea which Ikea parts the section "The Wide, Height-Adjustable Standing
Desk" is referring to? "Vika" seems to be right.

I did find a leg ("VIKA BYSKE") which is a suitable height for me (just below
my belly button at 107cm - most others are 70cm high which is way too low).
But it would be $120 for four legs, they don't sell them in my local store or
online, and in any event the desk has to be wall mounted.

The Frederik is almost a decent height for the desk, but then has two shelfs
above positioned in the middle of the desk slap bang where my monitors would
be. It is also just barely wide enough for my dual monitors.

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skrebbel
I believe in full-time standing just as little as I believe in full-time
sitting. I want a desk that I can move up and down, with everything on it, in
less than a minute. Doesn't that exist? I haven't been able to find one yet.

~~~
elviejo
Or the cheapest version buy a fixed standing desk, and when you want to sit
use a stool, or a very tall chair.

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Jach
Alternatively, put a chair (even your own chair!) on your current desk and
your stuff on the chair when you want to stand.

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matthewking
A couple of years ago I spent a weekend making this:
<http://imgur.com/a/Kp35g>

I don't claim to be brilliant with carpentry so it was a mixed success, but
you can adjust between a sit down and stand up desk, it cost about £50 all in.
I'm not sure it would work on a larger scale, I had a very small room and just
needed something to put my laptop on.

Apologies for the photo quality, first generation iPhone.

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fauigerzigerk
I think there is a much simpler solution. Just stand up and walk around while
you think!

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Fando
Make yourself a standing desk step 1: get a taller desk step 2: stand in front
of it.

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alpine
There's one thing I don't think I've seen mentioned when this subject is
brought up. If you walked into an office comprising 100% standing desks, would
the environment seem a tad more unfriendly than others? Would it be
intimidating enough to discourage people from dropping in for a friendly chat?
It would be interesting to measure productivity pre- and post- the
introduction.

~~~
cynusx
It's more friendly as a visitor coming in is already standing and so is
whoever greets him when he comes in.

