

Who Wrote at Standing Desks? Kierkegaard, Dickens and Ernest Hemingway Too - r0h1n
http://www.openculture.com/2013/10/ernest-hemingway-standing-desk.html

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hatty
If I could add to the article, I would describe an ideal standing desk (or
several), perhaps discuss contemporary standing desks versus old, and provide
the specific instructions on DYI rather than the general description of
necessary supplies. Thoughts, hackers?

For some hackers like me, arrangements like Hemingway's (a typewriter on top
of a bookshelf) are too cramped for a laptop/desktop and anything else. In my
case, in addition to an iMac, I need a traditional paper notebook for a math
class, a graphing calculator, and a space to charge/test my iPad and phones. I
experimented by propping up an end table on speakers and making adjustments
with stacks of books. The surface area of an end table was far too small. So,
I reverted back to my L-shaped sitting desk, which is a little too tricky at
this time to prop up (it has a thin metal frame and has glass for all the
surfaces).

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Scarblac
I use the one described here ( [http://iamnotaprogrammer.com/Ikea-Standing-
desk-for-22-dolla...](http://iamnotaprogrammer.com/Ikea-Standing-desk-
for-22-dollars.html) ): an Ikea "Lack" table with a shelf attached to it for
the keyboard.

I have a normal laptop stand on the left side of my desk where I set, and one
those Lack tables on the right side with a monitor on it. When I want to
stand, I just move my keyboard and mouse to the shelf and setup my laptop to
use the monitor instead of its own screen.

I think the Lack table also exists in a version that is twice as wide, but I'm
not sure.

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tsotha
While Hemingway may have been a great writer, I'm not sure I want to emulate
his health choices.

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dj-wonk
The book called "The Healthy Programmer" talks a bit about Hemingway and his
standing desk. The book also cites research showing that standing for extended
periods has different (and arguably worse) health risks than sitting for long
periods. People who stand too long often use poor posture, may favor one side
over another, not to mention other potentially severe complications. The
book's solution is simple: move often! Change position about every 20 minutes.
For example, sit in a chair, then stand, then sit on an exercise ball, and so
on.

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mattlutze
Posture is the key -- I put a standing desk together and got about 10 hours in
on it over two days. Worst neck pain in my life because I was essentially
looking down too far from neutral. The walking desks make some sense, but
standing/sitting is probably the best compromise for the many of us without
space in our home offices (or ability in our office-offices) to put a
treadmill in.

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Scarblac
I think that's just like starting to run by doing 5kms the first two days,
you're going to be injured. It needs to be built up at first.

On the other hand, my own experience with doing one 25-minute Pomodoro
standing per day is that it isn't enough, too easy to stop doing it.

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paines
Hemingway used a fridge IIRC, cause he was so big.

