The way that you use it
Working from home with a standing desk
Am I the only one who heard the Eric Clapton song from the movie Color of Money with that title?
Probably. My kids have said in the past I have a song for every occasion. For this occasions, we’re talking about writers who work from home and how they use their standing desks.
Many of the writers who responded to the query on standings desks use them differently. One or two only use the standing part of the standing desk. Some use the standing component for specific tasks. Others alternate. Here are some of those responses:
Craig Miller, a content manager at Academia Labs, LLC takes an off and on approach and only on certain days of the week:
“As the Content Manager, I still do a lot of writing and editing for the company. Since this job is very sedentary, I have purchased and used a standing desk in my home office. My work entails me being in front of my laptop for at least 8 hours a day. With that, I spend about half of my work time standing up and typing at my standing desk. What I usually do is set a timer of 30 minutes. That means that I have to use the standing desk for 30-minutes, then return it to the normal desk form for the next 30 minutes.. However, since I am not very young anymore, I cannot do this on a daily basis. Instead, I do this on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”
So, too, does travel writer Kristin Lee owner and author of the travel blog Global Travel Escapades.
As someone who writes for a living, I typically spend 8-10 hours a day at my standing desk, alternating between sitting and standing. On average, I spend about 25 minutes per hour standing up while writing. I hold myself accountable by setting a timer on my phone for 25 minutes. Once the timer goes off, I spend 5 minutes walking around to give myself a mental break and then, I will come back to sit down and work for the other 30 minutes. This process repeats about 8 - 9 times a day. I've had my standing desk for 8 years and started implementing my consistent work routine about 3 years ago. It genuinely makes me more productive since I feel less restless when I'm moving regularly.”
Other writers, like Kshitij Nigam, the Chief Marketing Officer of Cheef Botanicals, base it on the time of day:
“I use an adjustable electric standing desk during the day, and my seated workspace during the afternoon until evening. According to my doctor, exercising during the morning is most effective, so sweating through a long period of standing can release endorphins which I can use for the rest of the day. My choice of being seated during afternoons is caused by important meetings typically being held in the afternoon, and I don't want to get distracted by muscle strain while listening and contributing to executive-level ideas.”
Alli Hill of Fleurish Freelance bases her standing time on the task at hand:
"My standing desk has been a great asset in my freelance writing career. Having the option to stand and write helps me to fight the stiffness from sitting. I usually sit for detailed pieces and stand when writing outlines, emails, writing social media posts, and simple blog articles. I adjust the height of my desk several times a day, depending on what's on my schedule. On a typical day, I spend about a third of my time standing, but I have stood for as much as four hours straight when writing."
Terena Elizabeth Bell, author of Tell Me What You See (Whiskey Tit, December 2022) also bases her standing on the task at hand. Even using it to vary how she stands:
“This past February, I bought a Vari standing desk (the Essential ESD). I've had back problems since birth (grade three spondylolisthesis) so I'd wanted to try one for years — I just wasn't able to afford it before (I found the Vari on sale for $435.49 with tax). Someone in my apartment building recommended it, plus it has the ability to raise or lower with a button — something I'd really wanted so I could adjust the height without having to stop writing. I did NOT want one of those "standing desks" that's really just a tray you pick up then put on your desk to make the top higher. First off, you have to take everything off your desk then rearrange it on the tray thing. Fiction writing requires creating a brand new world then staying in it long enough to write that world out for others. How can you do that if you're having to stop work, lean over, and pick up some tray thing? Not to mention a stack of books is cheaper.
Turns out the raise/lower option was definitely worth it. I use it every day. Some days, I raise the desk all the way to stand. I'm standing right now, actually. But not every day. It just depends on what my back needs in the moment and the work I'm doing.
When I teach writing, for example, I always stand. The classes are an hour and a half long so I take the opportunity to stand in yoga tree pose in order to stretch my muscles while working. I also stand while I'm working on the business side of writing — like sending emails or discussing Tell Me What You See's production with my publisher, for example. When I'm writing, I sit, but I do raise or lower the desk an inch or two throughout the day so I can alternate my seating position to fit how my back feels.
It's also matter of focus. When I stand, I think a lot about my posture and that's very grounding — it lends to more analytical thinking. Seated, I can better engross myself in the world I'm creating. I can't really fold myself around the keyboard and drown out the world as well when I'm standing. Do I need to do that in order to write? I don't know. I do have a book coming out, though, so something works.”
Or you could be like digital nomad Michele Fishburne, who uses hers on the road…even outside:
“I am a full-time digital nomad who is an author and a full-time public relations professional. I am writing all day long it seems, from sun-up to way past sundown. I use a tabletop desk that I convert into a standing desk. The one I purchased on Amazon is Fenge Standing Desk for Laptop Desktop Sit to Stand Up Desk Conventer for Single Monitor SD255001WB. I love it! One of the great things about it is that it is easy to adjust the height. I don't stand all day to do my work. Instead, I mix things up by standing sometimes, sitting on my motorhome dinette cushion, or sitting on my Hokki stool. As I mentioned, I am a digital nomad, so I move locations a lot. Sometimes I am in my motorhome, sometimes an Airbnb, and sometimes a housesitting gig…I bring my Fenge Standing Desk with me wherever I go. It stores easily, lying flat in my car and I can pile suitcases, etc. on top of it. It also is good for whenever I want to work outside.”
Are you a standing desk user? Please leave your comments below. Maybe we’ll use them in a future My HOH.
But what about…IT Security Tip
Paul LaFlamme, an IT professional and owner of Centrend and Whiz Kid Support, writes a weekly cyber security newsletter. Paul knows this stuff cold. Many of his clients are Department of Defense contractors and need the highest level of security. Here’s his latest tip:
Do you have guest access on your company WiFi network? Or do you simply give out the same password that your employees use? If you give out your password, you’re practically opening the door for anyone to come in and steal private information, infect your private computers and even steal customer credit card data if you are processing them over the same Internet connection.
The key to providing free guest WiFi access is in segregation and security. Your WiFi guests need to be completely isolated and segregated from your private network (something we can do for you). Your guests should not be able to reach your internal computer network, credit card terminals or other network-connected devices.
Don’t know how to enable guest WiFi access? Give us a call and we’ll help you out.
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Inspiring quote of the week
“Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting.”—Haruki Murakami