Standing desks are embodiments of care and comfort for working professionals. And since they are visually appealing as well, no wise working professional would leave them unattended in the modern workplace. And this includes the home-office setups.
Standing desks have been a hot favourite of our society’s crème-de-la-creme. Famous authors used standing desks. Renowned thinkers liked standing desks. And maverick philosophers coined many isms with a standing desk as their companion. Let’s go back into history and see the glittering chronicles of standing desks. Ernest Hemingway was very fond of standing desks. “He never worked at the desk. Instead, he used a stand-up workplace he had fashioned out of a bookcase near his bed,” as stated by his biographer, AE Hotchner.
Lewis Carroll also used a standing desk. His biographer Morton N. Cohen said, “Standing at the upright desk he always used while writing, he managed to breathe life and laughter onto the dry leaves of paper that lay before him.” Charles Dickens’ workplace was portrayed by a gentleman as, “Books all round, up to the ceiling and down to the ground; a standing desk at which he writes; and all manner of comfortable easy chairs.” The German philosopher Nietzsche wrote in a letter to his sister, “I am writing this at my standing desk; my standing desk is against the window, and the window offers a pleasant prospect over the lime trees and the sun-bathed hills.”
Standing desks, as we have learnt, are no strangers to us. Guess what, even presidents have used them. What comes as an eye opener is the fact that American president Thomas Jefferson also used a standing desk. Whereas Winston Churchill used to work on a standing desk that was gifted to him by Benjamin Franklin. Assumingly, the standing desks used by these stalwarts were quite different to the ones that we use today. However, it doesn’t take away the wondrous attributes of a standing desk and its historical relevance in our work-life.
Standing desks in the 21st Century
How useful are standing desks in the 21st Century is glitteringly visible in its endorsement by leading corporate heavyweights. Not long ago, Apple Inc was reported to have provided standing desks to its employees. Praising the standing desks, the corporation’s CEO, Tim Cook, was quoted as saying, “We have given all of our employees, 100%, standing desks. If you can stand for a while, then sit, and so on and so forth, it’s much better for your lifestyle.”
And there are many examples of CEOs and managers using and recommending standing desks. No wonder, the market for standing desks is constantly on the rise. It was stated in a recent report that: “The global standing desk market is set to hit US$ 2.80 Bn by 2025, exhibiting a double-digit growth rate during the forecast period 2017 – 2025. The overall standing desk market is primarily driven by the rising inclination of the people as well as enterprises towards adopting ergonomic furniture. Enterprises are now more attentive towards the health hazards caused by poor posture to their employees. Subsequently, the overall spending on related ergonomic furniture has grown significantly since the past few years. In addition, people are now more cautious regarding their daily activities and posture during the work hours and hence demand for more comfortable and ergonomic furniture. As a result, the market is projected to witness strong growth in the following years.”
5 reasons to use a standing desk
Using a standing desk definitely helps working professionals in more ways than one. Here are 5 reasons why a standing desk should be used.
Standing desks improve posture
Standing desks improve posture by providing the ideal adjustability to their users. Owing to this feature, standing desks can be used by people of all shapes, sizes, weights, and heights. This means that people need not constrict themselves into ‘one-size-fits-all’ chairs and desks. So, people who use standing desks are able to maintain the natural “S” shape of the spine. In this manner, standing desks alleviate all the spine and neck issues, thereby improving mood and confidence. All the employers and employees take serious cognizance of the importance of a good posture. That’s why they benefit manifolds by using standing desks.
Standing desks mitigate backaches
Standing desks mitigate back aches because their users get the ideal lumbar (lower-back) support in the form of a naturally positioned back. Health and fitness experts say that our lower back needs to be in the perfect shape if we are to attain work-productivity. Moreover, by wiping-off backaches, standing desks ensure longevity and savings on medical bills. It has been observed that people who use standing desks hardly complain of backaches – a huge bonus for employers.
Standing desks improve health, fitness, mood, and work-productivity
Standing desks are amazing because they allow users to switch between sitting and standing while working. This means that people are able to burn more calories as compared with the sedentary working style scenario. On the contrary to sedentary working, standing desks mitigate the risks of Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiac ailments. Moreover, standing desks assuage troubled minds by fighting depression, anxiety, stress, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). When all these factors act in confluence, they give rise to a new sense of self-assuredness, which, in-turn, boosts morale and work-productivity. Well, this is a huge testimony of the fact that CEOs and managers love standing desks.
Standing desks enhance the visual appeal of a workplace
Standing desks look extremely pleasing on the eye. They have a minimalistic appeal which is evident in simple themes, hues, and colours. Standing desks are primarily available in grey, white, black, and off-white themes. However, there can be other permutations and combinations when it comes to the design patterns and themes of standing desks. Nevertheless, minimalism is the forte of standing desks, and this has made them immensely popular among those working professionals who belong to the ‘less is more’ genre. By adding visual appeal to the workplace, standing desks pave the way for a heightened sense of bliss and confidence. Needless to say, these factors are critical to work-productivity.
Standing desks foster profitability, savings, and returns-on-investment (ROI)
Standing desks improve productivity to a mammoth extent, which, in-turn, gives a monumental push to profitability. Meanwhile, employees who use standing desks do not fall ill and hardly need to consult doctors. Well, this results in huge savings for corporations who provide standing desks to their employees. Secondly, unlike routine desks, standing desks are long-lasting and need not be replaced frequently. This plays a big role in negating office furniture replacement costs. Well, when we look at these savings with a macro perspective, we can surely predict healthy ROI. That’s a great addition to the health benefits of using a standing desk.
Conclusion
Standing desks are our perpetual workmates and we should never let go of them. The great news is that standing desks are evolving with our requirements and the emerging home-office trends. In this scenario, it will surely be a monumental decision to invest in standing desks. After all, we do need to be productive in these competitive times.
