5 Mistakes Standing Desk Users Make

So, you’ve purchased a standing desk. Congratulations! Whether you chose it for your home office or your place of employment, we’re confident it’s going to improve your workday in many meaningful ways.

To get the most out of your standing desk, it helps to use it the right way. While it may seem simple and straightforward (you’ve been using a sit down desk for years, after all), there are a few common mistakes that many first-time users make. Let’s look at the top 5:

Learn How to Use a Standing Desk Properly and Avoid These Mistakes

1. You Don’t Learn How to Set Up a Standing Desk
Improper adjustment can lead to pain and premature fatigue. Instead, take a few moments to educate yourself on the right desk height, as well as proper keyboard and monitor placement. Stand up Desk Store’s Guide to Better Posture is a great place to start.

2. You Try to Stand Too Much Too Soon
You wouldn’t run a marathon without training. Sure, standing at your desk isn’t remotely as hard, but it does recruit some muscles you don’t normally use if you’re used to sitting all day. As such, a proper transition to a standing desk will include a ramping up period. Start by standing just a few minutes every hour for the first week, then gradually increase your stand time every week that follows.

3. You Don’t Transition Between Sitting and Standing
Current research suggests that your ultimate goal shouldn’t be to stand all day; it’s to frequently transition between sitting and standing. For people 40 years and younger, experts often recommend roughly 30 minutes of standing every hour. For people older than 40, experts recommend around 24 minutes of standing per hour. Even standing 5 minutes every hour helps, so factor in your fitness and personal preferences to determine your ideal sitting/standing ratio. Once you’ve set a goal, slowly work toward it.

4. You Don’t Wear Comfortable Shoes
If your dress shoes aren’t comfortable to walk in, they aren’t good to stand in, either. Wear those to meetings and sales presentations. Then when you return to your desk, change into something more supportive.

5. You Don’t Accessorize Properly
For the maximum comfort and cushioning, an anti-fatigue mat is a must. To help ensure typing comfort, consider a sliding keyboard and mouse tray. Since desktop clutter is a proven productivity sucker, organization solutions like a pencil drawer, backpack hook, USB charging station, and a rolling file cabinet can help.

In conclusion, when you know how to properly use a standing desk, you’ll get the best possible experience. We hope these tips help!