Stand Up and Work Challenge: Day 3
It’s Day 3 of your 28-day transition to a standing desk.
Today’s assignment
Stand for 36 minutes.
These small daily increases are starting to add up–you’re standing for more than half an hour now. Well done.
How’d it go?
Leave a comment below when you finish your allotted standing time for the day.
Ask a question. Complain about your makeshift standing desk. It’s an open forum.
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48 minutes of standing was definitely enough to start feeling it in my lower back. Feels good to sit down now. Feet are doing OK though.
I need to spend a lot of the day on my Mac Mini, which is currently set up at my standing desk station. I have a cheap stool that I bought at Walmart for around $10, and I’ll be using it for most of the day now that I’m done with my standing time. I don’t want to burn out like I did last time I tried this.
I bought an anti-fatigue mat and it has made a huge difference. I am loving my standup desk.
Which anti-fatigue mat did you purchase? (Can we say that on this open forum?) Also, are you on a hard floor or carpet? Thanks.
Felt fine so far aside from a weird twinge in the back of my left shoulder… I’m thinking my whole setup is just a few inches too low…
36 minutes (2 more to go) seems to be the point where I’m starting to feel some discomfort while standing up. it’s not close to being bad or anything, but… it’s there 😉
I’m also thinking that maybe my notebook is set up a bit too high, and also, it’s a notebook, so I do have my head tilted down. will try to figure out something for tomorrow 🙂
does anyone know what the right heights for the keyboard and/or monitor should be?
(ok, I guess elbow height for the keyboard, but monitor?)
From what I understand — and if I’m off on this, someone, please tell me — the top edge of the monitor should be around eye level… I’m 6’3″, so I had to put mine up on a couple-inch riser to get the desk-to-monitor ratio right.
thanks… I’ve set it up so the top of the screen is about 2-3 inches (I think, I’m used to metric :D) above eye-level… it just… I don’t know, “feels” better
I’ll have to just try and see, I guess… 😀
and now off to the 60 minutes for today 😉
So far, so good. The setup needs a little height tweaking, I think. Co-workers already thought I was a weirdo, so no change there.
went ok…seemed much longer than yesterday though.
Hasn’t even been 2 full work days, and I already feel better… Better in my head, too… It’s been increasingly clear that the sitting thing was messin’ me up. Here’s a more detailed post on my home office desk hack… Thanks, Josh et al for the inspiration. http://slatersgarage.com/2013/07/03/how-to-turn-your-sitting-desk-into-a-standing-desk-for-under-fifty-bucks/
Today went really well. After getting a separate keyboard and mouse shelf and my laptop screen up closer to my eye line everything seems to be feeling much better.
I used a box to prop up the keyboard and the ball mouse. I then tilted the monitors up to an angle that I could see. Dunno if I like the tilt though. I think I have to raise the monitors to eye height…Went well. Started to “feel the burn” towards the end minutes…hung in there. Kinda feel like a D.J. lol JWL
Today went pretty well, I did find myself starting to lean on my desk and shift my weight considerably.
It’s not the standing. It’s the mindset, I found myself saying “i need to sit down and take care of this later” a few times. That was the stuff I ended up tackling. Worked out. This is a great experiment!
just finished my 36 minutes.
lots of fidgeting and twisting there.
also had to lower the temp on the AC.
Barely noticed, and was surprised when the buzzer went off. Not bat at all.
Well, my wife and a couple of my friends use standing desks and swear by them. I’m trying it and after day 3 I still don’t get it. Of course, I don’t get jogging either so it could just be that I prefer the couch and Doritos to anything that’s good for me… But I’ll stick with it…
Think I picked a bad time to do it, kept wanting to sit
I was out yesterday and decided to skip the 24 minutes and just do the 36 minutes. I moved around more than I do when I sit and I see that as a good thing. Was even moving to the classical music I have playing via Pandora. I was starting to feel it in my lower back by the end of the time. Feels good to sit down now. Feet are doing OK — have better shoes on today.
36 minutes (consecutively) was for sure enough to feel it in my hip, this morning! I am still going for the 48 today, though. I know that for too long I stood riveted in 1 spot, so I am going to work on that, today!
I’m pretty sure I got 36 minutes in altogether but I did sit down for a while and then get back up again. I’ve also rigged up a standing desk at home, I put two Gold’s Gym Steps on my desk (I already had one that I wasn’t using so I bought a second one for $28.), then a cookie sheet with a lip which holds the keyboard, then a regular monitor stand, then the monitor over towards the left of the top step so I have room for my mousepad and mouse next to the monitor stand. I would post a photo but I don’t know how.
Day 3 – 36, done.
36 minutes was too short! I feel I want to continue and find this a great way to work.
36 minutes… I started feeling a bit tired in the lower back and the soles of my feet are complaining a little bit but overall not too bad so far!
I did it and some. I’ve did two 36 minute sessions and am loving it. I believe I’m more productive standing up. It’s like my brain knows if I’m standing, I should be writing. Love it!
I did this 2 times – once in the AM and then again in the PM
Will need to figure out shoes, but – on my way! I tend to move a bit back and forth – shifting my weight from leg to leg…so that is a good thing! Still trying to figure out paper space as unfortunately I still have lots of that junk around, but so far – doing things that don’t need as much paper when trying the standing desk. Making adjustments and trying. One step/one day at a time!
Anyone have any great tips?
Feeling good. Finally feeling like I have some time to work when I stand up.
Was a bit rougher today than expected but I got through it. I am noticing that the need for a decent desk is starting to get higher up in my priority list.
Made it the 36 minutes but moving around a lot. I am struggling to overcome posture issues so I constantly have to remind myself not to clench my butt and to clench my abdominals. I had a hard time concentrating on my work due to back pain but it was a tiny bit easier than yesterday. Will be away from my desk traveling on Day 4 so I’ll try to get my 48 minutes in somehow.
I’m still feeling good! I kind of wish it was split up so I could stand up a few times during the day. Now that I am standing, i can feel my butt hurt after I have sat for too long. I guess that is a good thing.
36 minutes it’s already a nightmare… LOL
I bought an anti-fatigue mat but it’s definitely not enough. After 20-25 mins I feel like I wanna set the desk on fire and sit for the rest of my life!
(Note: I work as a waiter in my day job so I’m standing and walking 6 hours a day 5xWeek already)
Anyway, 36 mins done… but I’m honestly really concerned on the strong lack of focus I’m noticing after 15 mins of standing at the desk. It’s making pretty much impossible to study at the computer 🙁
Day 3 of the “official” challenge, but I’ve had my sit-stand desk for about a week now. I’m already past the 36 minutes, (hopefully not doing too much too soon). Yesterday, I alternated throughout the day, sitting and standing about an hour at a time. I do start to feel it in my lower back and in my neck and shoulders. A comfy mat is essential, in my opinion! If I can put on some music, and at least move my hips and feet around, that feels good. Almost feels as though my keyboard/peripherals and monitor are too high when it’s in the *down* position.
Call me crazy, but I actually look forward to standing. It’s nice to have the option, to avoid the “middle age spread” instead of sitting in a chair the whole day! 🙂
It definitely seemed easier today. I did my standing session right after lunch when I have a tendency to feel sleepy. Standing seems to help with that. I shift a lot from foot to foot, and rock the resting foot back and forth on my Amazon footrest. I do tend to lean a bit on the upper shelf of my Varidesk but I thought my posture was better today than it has been – no neck pain. Overall I do think the extra movement is good. I’m trying not to let it affect what I’m doing but I still find myself postponing certain tasks until I sit down again. Hopefully I will get more used to it and will be able to work equally well standing and sitting.
I’m still happy with standing in stocking feet on my anti-fatigue mat.
Day 3 in the books! I’ve had my stand up desk for a few months now. I miss standing for 2 hours, but I know I’ll work back up to it and the more patience I have with it, the more sustainable this habit will become. Hooray!!
Side note, my knee is starting to hurt from sitting at my desk and felt so much better standing! Crazy!
That went well. Anti fatigue mat helps. I
Day 3 – no issues. I am ordering a “real” adjustable stand up desk today!