My first half-day with a standing desk

I spent about half the length of a normal workday at my new standing desk yesterday, and I like it, but it really tired me out. Really. The only times I remember being this tired while not traveling is when I go to Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Convention Center each year in July, and I’m on my feet almost the entire day then. My legs are aching. I expect much of the discomfort is from the extra hours standing, and much of it is from walking 90 minutes yesterday, instead of my usual hour. Sundays I walk 90 minutes, and it often tires me out.

I was hungrier than usual at dinner. Standing burns calories; only a little bit more than sitting, but it adds up over the hours.

According to what I’ve read about standing desks, it takes about a week to get used to them, to not be overtired and have aching legs.

I’ve also read that people who use standing desks find it easier to concentrate than when they worked sitting down. They say it’s because they find it easier to fidget when distracted at a standing desk, and the distraction channels off into the body and leaves the mind focused. When sitting at a desk, it’s harder to move around, the distraction channels itself into procrastination. This feels like it might be true, and it might  just be hand-waving. I have been so conscious of my new set-up — wow, I’m, like, STANDING at my DESK — that I can’t judge.

I do like working at the standing desk. I no longer feel confined at my desk, having to consciously get up out of my chair if I want to leave. I can just walk away from the computer and do something else, because I’m already standing. That means I spend less time sitting here by inertia. If I want to just come in and go on the Internet for a few minutes, to check email or Facebook or run a quick Google search, I do it and then leave, and a few minutes is less likely to stretch out into a big chunk of time.