What I Learned After a Year of Using a Standing Desk

I first learned about standing desks on Zhihu. It was a real shock – I never knew there was such a thing! And then there's this picture, which made a particularly deep impression on me because I have back pain.

Later, I researched the pros and cons of standing desks online. I spent a lot of time looking at desks and other options online. Since I wanted to use it in the office, I ruled out computer desks. I ultimately settled on a desk-free desk.

Let me share my experience with standing desks over the past year. It's been over a year since I started using a standing desk. Regardless of my workday, I spend most of it standing at my computer, sometimes for over five hours a day.

Because I exercise daily, what I'm sharing below is my personal experience. I'm not attributing all of this to standing desks, but I stand far more than any other exercise, so it's likely that standing has contributed most to my physique.

This thing is quite large; my desk can barely fit under it. Here are a few of my desks, so please excuse the clutter.

Initial Discomfort

At first, I felt a bit uncomfortable. After standing for ten or twenty minutes, I couldn't help but want to sit down. Maybe it was because I rarely stand like this. Then, after standing for an hour or so, my feet would start to feel a bit sore (I have to admire those girls who shop for hours). At this point, I would sit down for a few minutes and then stand up again.

Another complaint: Because of the desk, the cables weren't long enough, so I got a set of extension cables.

My Experience After Standing

After standing for a while, I got used to it and started standing for about five hours a day, generally standing for an hour and sitting for half an hour.

Differences

1. Standing is indeed a better posture. My neck and back are in better shape now (I used to have a lot of cracking and back pain when I moved my neck). Now my back pain is gone.

2. I can focus better. Sitting can be distracting in many ways, as anyone with similar experience will know.

3. I've become more patient. I don't take standing all the way for the bus or waiting in line for tickets for an hour or so seriously. I think the main reason queues are frustrating is because my legs and feet are uncomfortable. Once I got used to standing for long periods, these things had no effect on me at all.

4. I've increased my activity level. Since I'm standing, I sometimes walk around, which in turn increases my daily exercise intake.

The biggest benefit:
I previously had a back injury, and my work requires me to sit every day, so over time I developed lumbar muscle strain. The biggest benefit from standing for over a year is that my lumbar muscle strain is much better now, and I no longer feel the same pain.

To summarize the benefits:
1. Symptoms related to cervical spondylosis have been greatly alleviated (including less creaking when twisting my neck, a straighter gait, and much better lumbar muscle strain).
2. I have more energy than before.
3. I haven't been a "young man with ambition" for the past six months.

Cons: I can't sit still anymore. I struggle to sit down and work for more than an hour, and I have to stand up involuntarily.

Happy work everyone!