I ran across this interesting Mashable article about the health benefits of a stand-up desk. After working in retail and having to run a whole sales floor 4thQ, I would definitely advocate for NOT having a stand-up desk. But I also lost 10lbs by literally walking around a store for 10+ hours a day. Which makes me wonder…

Will I gain all that weight back once I start a more sedentary job?

So on second thought, maybe a stand-up desk isn’t such a bad idea. Health wise, a study cited in a Men’s Health article followed over 17,00 men and women for a 13 yr period and found that those who sit for most of the day were 54% more likely to die from a heart attack.Apparently the stat still rings true for non-smokers and regular exercisers.

Scary stuff huh?

Well I take it to heart -pun intended- because my family has a history of high cholesterol which is step one to heart issues.

So how much does it cost for one of these bad boys? Well it’ll run you a basic Macbook.

The only people I know who rock these desk are advertising people, particularly creatives. Turns out I was spot on because the Mashable article cites Chiat\Day LA chief creative officer, Rob Schwartz as an advocate for stand-up desks.

Even more interesting is Schwartz’s reasoning behind getting a stand-up desk.

You get more done when you’re standing up. When you’re sitting, you’re naturally recessive, you’re receiving, when you’re standing, you’re ready to do something … I don’t know. I used to be a bartender, so maybe that has something to do with it.

I agree. I’m definitely a do-er and even with the shift in career industries, I know I will still need to incorporate that active part of my personality/persona into my generally desk confined job.

For me this could go two ways…

Dream World: I get a stand-up desk. (Pssssh yeah right, entry-level? Please.) I’m more actively involved in my work because my whole body is physically interacting with what I’m doing on the computer and, knowing me, there will be daily dance breaks.

Reality: I get an ergonomic chair that won’t kill my back when I’m sitting eight hours a day. I make a more conscious effort to get up on the hour and interact with my co-workers, take a walk around the office, etc. Or if it’s a REALLY cool office, like the one I used to intern for, I’ll just grab a bike and pedal my way to a quick lunch.

Things to keep in mind during the job-search. Environment has a lot to with productivity and overall happiness while at work so it may seem a little facetious to check out ergonomic chairs, wrist exercises, sturdy shoes (yes they are important even if you’re sitting the whole day) it actually adds to your comfort and overall productivity.

Check out the Masable article for yourself.

http://mashable.com/2011/04/22/standup-desks/#13017A-standup-desk-in-action

Now time for some chocolate cake, Samoas ice-cream, and the 2nd half of the Lake Show. LET’S GO LAKERS!!!