Sit or Stand?

For most of us who work in an office environment day after day, the physical toll on our bodies can really begin to accumulate over time. While there's been plenty of work on ergonomics and workplace posture, it seems largely unaddressed in the workplace.

There are quite a few conflicting opinions online about whether you should sit or stand at work. No doubt, there are ups and downs to both options (pun intended).

I'm happy to say that I recently received a new desk at work. Thanks to a coworker's thoughtfulness and leadership's approval, I just received an IKEA electric sit-and-stand desk. At first blush, the desk appears to be solidly constructed, and it immediately strikes me as very modern and pretty cool to boot. My initial objective is to sit/stand 50/50 to take advantage of the new desk.

As I begin this new work habit, I'll attempt to learn and record how my first-hand experience evolves over the next few weeks, and I'll come back to this article to add a few updates about my progress periodically. So stay tuned.

UPDATE 2/26/2015: Wrapping up my first week of 50/50 sit-stand, I have a few observations.

• Freedom! I work in an open office space with seven other guys. It is so liberating to be standing when collaborating. It removes the barrier of having to stand up and allows you physically work and communicate in closer proximity just by taking a few steps..
• That pain in my... oh! Those are the muscles that I don't use when sitting. Don't worry, it passes after a few days. One of the things you are doing is toning up some muscle groups that have been ignored for a while.
• Feet, Feet, Feet. You must take care of your feet. I wear a pair of my Dr. Martens with gel inserts every day. But that isn't enough for this typical concrete slab floor. I've ordered a Uline 5/8" Cadillac anti-fatigue mat. I'll provide an update on that in a few days.
• General impression so far... I love it. I feel like my energy level is better at the end of the day, and my ability to focus and be productive improves in the second half of the day.