Productivity

The Furniture Piece Your Home Office Needs: The Standing Desk

In the home office, where distractions abound and sitting in place for too long leads to aches and pains, your desk should move like you do. Enter the standing desk: A product that flows with the flexibility of the home office, while boosting your productivity, mood, and health.

Your desk is the most important furniture piece in your office.

It is the foundation upon which you attend virtual meetings, type up proposals, and write out ideas. You spend your days here. Brainstorming and thinking and making crucial decisions. And sitting.

It’s time to use a desk that works like you do.

The Standing Desk elevates the office into a setting made for flexibility, movement, and creativity. It adjusts to whichever mood you find yourself in, whether that requires standing up and pacing the room to work out a problem or sitting down to perform detailed tasks.

Transition to the Home Office

The office has seen dramatic shifts in our lifetime. From the separation created by cubicles to collaborative, open workspaces filled with couches and group tables, the office has been a dynamic setting challenged to improve as the way we work has.

But the desk has not. It has remained clunky, solid, and stagnant. It’s essentially identical to the dining table or kitchen island, unaffected by the function it exists for: work.

Sitting for long periods throughout the day can cause various health complications like heart disease, back pain, and diabetes, among others. Lack of movement minimizes the blood circulation and oxygen levels in the body, which stimulate our minds.

The home office is the new locale for a multitude of workers, but even seasoned home-workers find it difficult to remain focused and stimulated. At modern office spaces, workers were encouraged to think as a team, interacting with colleagues and taking breaks for water-cooler chats. Most leaders recognized that these “distractions” amplified and created optimal conditions for creativity.

If movement and change contribute to better work, shouldn’t our desks be created for this purpose?

As millions around the world struggle to acclimate to the new home office, workers are frustrated with the blurred boundary between work and home. It’s impossible to stop thinking about work for the day when your home is your office. And living and working in the same setting day-in and out often results in burnout.

But there is a solution. Salesforce executive, Karen Mangia, calls for segmentation. When the home and office are inextricably bound, it is critical that workers designate a workspace and an area where work is left behind.

More than 72% of workers don’t have a designated work space and 40% don’t even have a designated desk. If you’re here, you might be in the same boat.

It has never been more important to have an office desk at home. And that requires investing in the right furniture that will maximize your home office potential.

We’ll discuss the ins and outs of selecting a standing desk so you can find the perfect furniture piece for your home office in no time.

1. Benefits of a Standing Desk

2. Selecting the Best Standing Desk

3. How to Set-Up and Use Your Standing Desk

Benefits of a Standing Desk

The Standing Desk went viral as the healthy alternative to the typical desk. The more stylish and active sister, the standing desk can do much more with the same resources. Taking up the same space, with only two legs, and flexible enough to move to heights tall enough for a 6’8 user, the standing desk is all about mobility.

Standing During the Day to Keep the Doctor Away

Yes, the standing desk makes you stand more. And standing more means burning more calories: about 100 calories a day, which is probably more than you thought! Standing also helps restore blood sugar levels more quickly after eating a meal. Yay healthy lunch breaks! There’s a decreased risk of shoulder and back pain, but stick around for our how-to section to learn how to avoid back, leg, and foot pain while at your standing or normal desk.

The golden rule? Stand and move. Otherwise, standing still is the same as sitting still.

Listen to Dr. Peter Ottone: “Using a standing desk, even for a portion of the workday, can minimize the sustained contracture of the abdominal and hamstring muscles and help maintain better spinal alignment and muscle symmetry.”

Just one day using a standing desk improves pain, fatigue, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Let’s keep that doctor away!

Who Knew Standing Could Make Us Work Powerhouses?

Better health means our brains can function more optimally. Remember how healthy circulation and blood oxygen levels help our mental faculties? Standing increases productivity and alertness because it requires greater circulation to get blood up (against gravity), and it increases our respiration rates (aka breathing). That means more oxygen to the brain.

More oxygen helps reduce fatigue and stress. In a study, 87% of participants experienced increased “vigor and energy.” And your best work days? Those random days when you think clearly, are excited and enthusiastic, and don’t tire out? Getting a standing desk can make that your new normal.

Movement allows the brain to refresh and restore links between memory and learning, forming new connections along neural pathways. It’s essential for creative thinking and reducing burnout. And frequent, albeit short, breaks maximize productivity. When the brain has a chance to rest, it refreshes its supplies of neurotransmitters, allowing for better absorption of information. Take the standing desk as a reminder to move too. Go on a walk outside for more productive phone meetings. And dance it up at your standing desk while you type up a report, or your own blog post.

Standing Up Makes Us Feel Like Superheroes

Ever heard of how the superhero pose (think Superman) helps with confidence and performance? That’s the power of great posture. When we sit, we often slump or feel trapped in immobility. By standing upright, you can boost your confidence levels. One study found that great posture can affect how people think about themselves. When holding great posture, participants were “more likely to believe positive thoughts they wrote down concerning whether they were qualified for the job.”

Confidence and self-assurance makes the difference between superior and inferior work. And most of us could benefit from this boost as we work in the home office.

Another tip for confidence: nod your head when you work, express thoughts, or brainstorm. Participants of another study had more confidence in thoughts generated while nodding their heads up and down. Hint hint: that’s another way to move at your standing desk!

Flexibility in the Home Office

Why is the standing desk so perfect for the home office? The standing desk is a chameleon.

It fits in seamlessly with any surrounding. Don’t have a designated office space? The standing desk can function as desk and living room console table. Have young children who love to climb up every surface? The standing desk can rise to a safe height children can’t access. You do have a spacious home office? The standing desk can take centerstage.

Selecting the Best Standing Desk

Ready to search for the perfect standing desk? We’ll point out the important details to look for so you end up with a premium furniture piece for your home office, rather than a shaky dud that lasts a year or two.

Durability & Quality

Furniture should last. You want a desk that will go strong for 10 years easily. Check out the warranty to see how long the desk is made to last. Desks made for commercial use will withstand heavy wear and tear, so avoid options from Ikea, Wayfair, and Amazon where price impacts quality.

Look for desks made of materials like melamine, a stain and impact resistant material which is also recyclable, and a coated steel base, which means it has been protected against rust and aging.

A standing desk should also be top-heavy and base-heavy. That means a steel base which grounds the standing desk and a top that keeps it secure in movement and use. This is critical for safety, and for preventing catastrophic topples. And make sure your chosen desk can handle a load of at least 250 pounds.

Design

Buying for your home office means that this desk is not just an office piece. It should blend in with a fashionable design that promises a seamless user experience.

A minimalist frame and different finish options ensure your standing desk will fit in with home decor. And features like low decibel monitors ensure your standing desk won’t become a noise complaint.

Look for:

Tapered, adjustable feet will keep your desk stable on sloping hardwood and level tile floors.
Centimeter-level adjustments allow that perfect fit for the best ergonomics
Height-adjustable to the max: From 4’4 to 6’8, you want a desk that can accommodate any height and any purpose
Three or more presets so you don’t have to keep adjusting for that perfect fit from sitting to standing to becoming your child’s homework space after work
Low decibel monitors for quiet movement that doesn’t disturb the whole household or your phone meeting

Mobility

The standing desk is all about movement. Make sure to purchase one that moves seamlessly and safely.

Look for desks with dual motors and smooth-glide systems. You want a desk that can move more than 1cm per second without spilling your cup of coffee. Imagine how long some standing desks take to transition from sitting to standing!

Another feature found in higher-quality standing desks is the dual stage, three-point leg column rather than the single stage, two-point column. The difference is a desk leg that protects the lifting column responsible for height adjustments. It protects the user and standing desk, making for a more stable desk, a smoother transition, and greater lifespan. Read more about the difference here.

Personalization

Your desk should be able to take whatever you send its way. That means being ready for your every need. Desks that have tabletop cable ports and the ability to add in-desk power and wire organizers can make your standing desk a tech-hub.

Monitor arms and keyboard trays are essential in adjusting your desk to the best ergonomic standards, which we’ll discuss in our how-to section.

Accessories like filing cabinets can easily fit underneath to store important documents.

The Branch Difference

Our office furniture is made for the commercial office. That means your home office will last for years to come, and our 10-year warranty backs it up.

We made the tallest, strongest standing desk at the most affordable price. Check it out here:

How to Set-Up and Use Your Standing Desk

Getting your standing desk is only half the battle. It’s time to set it up.

There are three elements to consider:

Choosing a location that will boost your work experience

Setting up your desk, chair, and accessories for the best ergonomics

Performing a mix of standing, sitting, and moving to get the most out of your standing desk

Choosing Your Home Office Location

Place your desk near a window or strong light fixture for optimal productivity.

Remember to place your standing desk against a wall for safety in movement. It will also be out of the way when your office turns back to home at the end of the day.

Make it child-proof. Placement in a corner or inconspicuous area will keep your standing desk from becoming your children’s new toy. And raising the height ensures the little ones won’t be able to reach your laptop or work documents.

Setting the Perfect Height

Proper adjustment of your desk, chair, computer, and keyboard ensure that you will stay free of body aches and back pain.

Standing or sitting, your desk should be tall enough for the top of your computer screen to be at eye level.

Right-angle rule: Your chair should be adjusted height and slope-wise so that your body is at right angles. Head and back perfectly straight, arms and legs out at a 90 degree angle, feet straight and firmly on the floor. Learn how to adjust your chair perfectly here. Invest in an ergonomic chair and it will do the work for you.

A monitor arm can help create the perfect screen height. And get a height-adjustable, downward-tilting keyboard tray in order to avoid wrist pain. You want your wrists to be parallel with your arms, not below or above, in order to prevent strain.

Don’t wear heels or socks. Invest in supportive footwear that help position your feet and spine alignment.

Sit. Stand. Move. Repeat.

Standing still is the same as sitting. The best practice is to incorporate bouts of movement every 20-30 minutes. Create a schedule that involves a mix of sitting, standing, and moving. Alarms can remind you to move every 30 minutes. Once it becomes routine, move according to shifts in your work load or emotional state. When you have to draw or perform fine motor skills, sit. When you need to figure out a stressful situation, stand up and move. When you need to type up a report, stand.

Remember to transition from standing to sitting carefully. Standing for long periods out of the blue can result in leg, back, and neck pain. Ease in. Begin with 30 to 60 minutes of standing a day and build up from there.

Program yourself into healthier habits. Put the phone on speakerphone and stretch while you have a call. Mix bouts of typing with dictation so you can walk around simultaneously. Using a standing desk is analogous to incorporating exercise into your routine. It takes a change in mindset and determination. And like any healthy habit, it’ll make your mind and body stronger.

It’s not easy to replicate the same feelings of transition, movement, and free-time in a home office. But with a desk that moves and changes forms to the desired task, it just got easier to create the perfect designated workspace.

Ready to get a standing desk? More comfortable with a stationary desk? Start shopping here!

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