R & R with Rachel (Rants and Raves with Rachel): Take a Stand Against Sitting

By now you must have all heard that "sitting is the new smoking." Just google "sitting is the new smoking" and you will come up with tons of articles discussing how bad it is for you to sit all day. Or, better yet, ask a friend or co-worker about the slogan. Even if they hadn't heard it they are sure to give you an earful about how much they hate sitting! When I asked my co-workers, they were happy to tell me all about their many aches and pains that they feel they have as a result of sitting too much. But what to do about it?

While writing an entry for this blog I learned that in order to avoid sitting, one of my colleagues turned a cardboard box into a movable desktop that he places on top of a desk to give it height.

Great idea. However, while I liked the "movable" part of his solution, I spend a lot of time working at my computer and needed a more stationary product to hold my monitor and keyboard. Purchasing a standing desk was out of the question (as was a treadmill desk which is what I REALLY would love to have). This is when my being a librarian totally helped. I started doing research about standing desks so that I could MAKE something that was the correct height.

Illustration taken from an article in the August 29th 2013 issue
of The Wirecutter entitled The Best Standing Desks

Once I gathered the information I needed I began measuring boxes, cabinets, bookshelves and the like, looking for something I could use that was the height I needed. Finally, the paper organizer I had on top of my file cabinet caught my eye. It was perfect. Not only was it the right height, but I could arranged it so that my "inbox" and many other paper items that I need were right at my fingertips. My standing desk:

Actual size 31"L x 11"H x 13"D

It has been one month since I set up my standing desk. The first week my legs were a little achy at the end of the day and I was thinking I might have to abort the plan. However, I stuck with it and now don't miss sitting at all (I must come clean and let you know that I am not at my desk for my full 7 hour work day. I do cover our service desk for about 2 hours a day at which time I sit and stand). I can honestly say I do notice a difference in the way I feel. My lower back and buttocks don't seem to hurt as much. And, the other bonus of the standing desk is the reaction I get from staff members or patrons when they see me standing. They immediately look for the chair. Once I explain my desk to them their facial expressions are priceless!

Stand up my friends, stand up!