HACKER Q&A
📣 takizawa11

Any advice on standing desk use?


I'd like to use my standing desk daily and for a long stretch of time. My tendency is still to use my fancy standing desk as a sitting desk! I don't think that I'm alone in that regard.

Do you have any tips or habits to suggest?


  👤 karmakaze Accepted Answer ✓
I got a height-adjustable self-righting mushroom stool that can quickly height adjust. I found that finding the right height setting is a good intermediate between standing and sitting. Almost standing but definitely leaning. I can stay in this position all day but it's not particularly comfortable as either sitting or standing. I sometimes lower the mushroom stool but it's least comfortable for sitting, too much concentrated weight pressure. I thought I could use a huge yoga ball but glad I didn't that wouldn't have worked as well.

I keep a small wooden chair around for if I'm really too tired to balance. But it's not comfortable either so I don't use it unless I really need to. Wearing slippers seems to be enough, but maybe I'm not noticing/attributing any back pains to it.


👤 quickthrower2
I used one when in the office. Listen to your body and stand when you feel you need to stand. If that is never then maybe just stand for the first 10 minutes each day and build up from there.

👤 ystad
Alternate sitting and standing. The key is to move and not stick to one posture. I keep a bottle of water handy. If you drink water regularly it forces you to take bathroom breaks, forcing you to move.

Try to distribute your weight evenly to both legs. Don't lean on one leg too much. Try to engage core muscles.

Stand on a mat that has some cushioning.

This is subjective. Eye direction looking straight matches top of the monitor.

Elbow at right angle to keyboard mouse


👤 rawgabbit
Wear comfortable shoes such as crocs when using your standing desk; uncomfortable shoes make for tired feet and your standing desk a sitting-down desk.

👤 giantg2
You can set a reminder on your computer or phone to stand for 5 or 10 minutes per hour. I think fit bits a d smartwatches can do this based on activity level.

You could also use an activity to indicate when to stand. For me, I would stand for any online meeting (if back-to-back then I alternate).


👤 der_philipp
Does someone of you use a "walking" treadmill for under the desk? I'd be highly interested and think about buying one.