Oh, a wicked slave to fad am I...

[alexpgp]

I've read quite a number of items having to do with rearranging one's work area so as to require one to stand while working (some really eager-beavers even place a treadmill under their feet, which seems to me to be one step past where I am willing to go, but I digress...).

So I did a little arranging, consisting of boosting my desk vertically a whole foot, roughly, and this post is being tapped while standing.

The idea behind this change has to do with two things: (1) Better posture, which cannot be achieved by sitting in a chair, however well ergonimically designed, for as much as I do every day, and (2) increased combustion of calories, as it take more energy to stand than to sit.

Moreover, that increased burn comes as a result of about the lowest-impact exercise I can think of: standing. While there are several studies out there suggesting that a lot of sitting is bad for you, about the only hazard I've read about associated with excessive standing is the possibility of developing varicose veins. So we'll see.

A couple of additional outcomes come to mind that I haven't seen mentioned in the articles I've read. One additional desirable outcome of this experiment would be to get everything done that needs to be done in fewer hours at the keyboard. There have been days when I can almost feel the keyboard and my fingertips becoming one, and not in a good way. The other desirable outcome has to do with not bringing food with me to my desk.

Cheers...

Comments

[furzicle.livejournal.com]

Well, I wish you luck. You are in god company. Thomas Jefferson comes to mind. However, I have spent far too much of my life standing. The thought of sitting is really appealing. What you actually need are TWO desks: one for standing and one for sitting.

Frankly, my preferred mode is lying down. I have brought slothfulness to a whole new level!

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

Two desks, huh? You must really hate me. ;^)

Cheers...

[furzicle.livejournal.com]

Actually, I meant to say "good" company. However, god company wouldn't be so bad, either.

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

I remember that some time back there was an article in the Scotts Valley paper about a dad who hooked up a generator to a bike on a stand and made his kids pedal it to power their TV. Perhaps the same setup would power your computer ;)

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

I've actually considered doing something along those lines here, i.e., treadmill-walking a requirement for the telly to continue operating.

But considering the amount of time I watch the Tube, that's not a heck of a lot of exercise. ;^)

Cheers...