Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Stand Up! Often! “..the perils of sitting” - esp. at desk using laptop! Why & how to buy/build stand-up desk

Stand up often... stand-up desk.. Why & How
WHY?

"...health hazards of sitting for long stretches are significant even for people who are quite active when they’re not sitting down.“'...we believe that sitting is harmful in itself,' says Dr. Toni Yancey, a professor of health services [UCLA]..."Yet many of us still spend long hours each day sitting in front of a computer.

- Excerpts above from "Taking a Stand for Office Ergonomics," Steve Lohr, The New York Times, December 1, 2012


HOW? Buy or build your own stand-up desk:

  • "A standing desk for $22," Colin Nederkoorn's Blog
  • " The Dual Kangaroo Adjustable Height Desk has 2 shelves to hold either your Laptops or your Monitors. ... The work surface that holds your keyboard and mouse is adjustable vertically 15" and the monitors are separately adjustable an additional 6.5" to give you maximum ergonomic benefit. " - excerpt from http://www.ergodesktop.com/
  • "Trekdesk Treadmill Desk fits virtually any treadmill allowing employees/students to walk slowly while working without sweating or extra time out of the day." - from http://trekdesk.com/
  • "15 Ideas to Buy or Build Your Perfect Standing Desk"- from How-To Geek
  • "Table height [keyboard height for touch typists] should be at or slightly below elbow height." - from illustration by Joel Kimmel in "Get a Standing Desk," Shoshana Berger, 10.07.12, Wired Magazine
IMAGE selected by Steve Gilbert 20121205
Drawing of ergonomic factors for "Description Computer Workstation Variables; Date Image retrieved 9 July 2008; Source Ergonomics, Integrated Safety Management, Berkeley Lab; 5553694"
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Computer_Workstation_Variables.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Computer_Workstation_Variables.jpg
"This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that person’s official duties under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code."




2 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing, Steve! During the work day, I tend to use the "Pomodoro" method of time (and sitting!) management. The crux of the method is that one Pomodoro = 30 minutes, of which 25 minutes is work and 5 minutes is break. In my case, break time has to be taken in full and away from the office room in which the computer resides. I'm not always 100% diligent in following this method, but I'm pretty good at it and find that I'm too restless to sit still for too long anyway. An alternative to consider for anyone who's not enthralled by the idea of a standing desk...

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  2. Pomodoro method IS just what I need! I used to have a tool that reminded me to look up for 20 seconds every 20 minutes but I forgot what it is called. I did find these tools though so I think I will set one of them up again. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-tools-remind-break-relax-working-computer/

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