I Used a Standing Desk for 2 Weeks — Here’s What Happened

As a personal friend with over 17 years in the trenches, I’ve heard countless clients complain about hip and shoulder aches and sluggishness that come with a desk job.

If you have been around the fitness and productivity scene for a while, you’ve probably come across the standing desk revolution. Desk companies and social media influencers claim an improved posture and a boost in focus and energy after replacing the sitting desk with a standing variation.

I have always preached the importance of movement, but lately, my own routine has turned a little sedentary and could use a jolt.

So, I decided to give the standing desk a shot and swapped my computer chair and table for a standing desk for two weeks.

In this article, I’ll share every change, challenge, and benefit of this 14-day standing desk challenge. You’ll also learn about my exact approach and how you can do things differently to better suit your unique lifestyle. We have a lot to unpack, so sit tight and read on.

Setting Up for Success

Here are a few tips to help you succeed on your standing desk journey:

Gradual Transition

I work for around eight to nine hours at my desk daily. I intended to stand for at least half of this time during this 14-day challenge.

My plan for this 14-day standing desk challenge was pretty straightforward. I intended to start by cycling between a 45-minute sitting and a 15-minute standing window in the first week. Then, I would gradually increase the standing window so I was standing for 45 minutes and sitting for 15 each hour.

Use an Ergonomic Setup

Your desk setup can make or break this 14-day challenge. Your monitor should be at eye level and the keyboard and mouse within easy reach so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Invest in a good quality anti-fatigue mat, as it can help improve your poster and avoid strain.

Footwear Can Make All the Difference

Each individual has unique feet, and you need to find the right footwear for yourself, depending on your foot arches. I recommend avoiding using flip-flops on your standing desk as they are not the most supportive. People with flat feet should invest in custom insoles to prevent lower body joint strain after long hours of standing.

Movement is Key

Contrary to what most people think, using a standing desk does not mean that you have to stand there like a statue. Shift your weight from foot to foot and take short breaks to walk around and get blood flowing through the body.

Incorporate some light stretches into your day to combat stiffness and improve pliability.

Week 1: The Honeymoon Phase

I won’t lie; setting up a standing desk felt intimidating and exciting. After spending almost two hours rigging up everything, I was ready for a fresh start and hitting the reset button on my workday.

The initial transitioning experience was — different.

As planned, I started with a 45:15 (sitting and standing) minute split and somehow felt more engaged and focused by switching to a standing desk. I instantly realized that I was not slumping in my chair, a long-time posture issue that I have been trying to rectify.

However, I won’t say that I suddenly became a productivity machine. In fact, switching to a standing desk requires a ton of commitment. There were times in the first week when I just wanted to remain seated, and it took a considerable amount of effort to give up my comfy chair.

Nonetheless, standing up made me a lot more aware of my body and work, translating to a slight uptick in focus.

Physical Changes Over the First Week

Standing upright for almost four and a half hours daily had a significant impact on my body. My calves and feet fired up from the very first standing session, and I experienced a dull ache in my lower back by the end of the first day.

The nagging pain had developed into muscle soreness by the third day, and it felt like starting a new workout routine.

The good news is that my body recouped rather quickly, and the constant low-level lower back ache that I had always experienced, often from sitting for extended periods, had started to fade.

Standing for several hours daily can be very draining. However, I have noticed no significant energy crashes during the day. Despite the muscle fatigue, I encountered no major productivity lapses.

Mental Improvements After Week One

I was very happy with my final sit-stand ratio, as I completed a 35:25-minute cycle on the seventh day of this challenge.

If there is one thing that stood out from the very first day of starting this two-week challenge, it is that I felt instantly more focused and alert.

Since I was using a Pomodoro timer, I also noticed that I was much less likely to drift off or get distracted while working standing up. It also made me feel a little lighter and more positive. I did not feel as frustrated as before while stuck on the same problem. The mood elevation was probably due to the increased blood flow.

Finally, since standing upright for extended periods is physically taxing, it creates a sense of urgency, prompting you to complete your work quickly.

Challenges and Adjustments

Make no mistake; transitioning to a sitting-standing work setup can be very challenging and involve a decent learning curve. These are the three biggest adjustments I had to master:

• Foot and Calf Fatigue: If you think standing calf raises are brutal, you’ve never tried a standing desk. I had to constantly shift my weight and sit down during my standing sessions to improve blood flow to other muscle groups.
• Setup Tweks: I had to adjust the height of my desk, monitor, and keyboard several times during the first week to ensure proper posture and limit neck and lower back strain.
• Need For Breaks: Be nimble and adjust your initial sitting and standing durations to avoid excessive fatigue and allow your muscles time to recover. Learn to listen to your body and make quick changes to your routine when needed.

Week 2: The Reality Check

The newness of this standing desk experiment started to wear off by the second week. Since this was the final stretch of this challenge, I was determined to stick to my sitting and standing windows.

The biggest change in the second week was that standing up was no longer a conscious effort and became a habit. I no longer dreaded the Pomodoro timer and instead looked forward to it.

I kicked off the second week with a 25:30 (sitting-standing) split and flew through it. This signified the progress I had made over just one week. I must add that I did feel a little tired during the longer standing cycles, particularly during long stretches of writing, and I felt like I could be more productive if I worked while seated.

However, I had to remind myself that this wasn’t anything different from how we feel as our workouts get more challenging and our muscles beg for mercy. You can only grow stronger by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

As the standing periods got longer, I did a quick stretch or walking around session after completing a sit-stand cycle. This can help flush out the lactic acid from your muscles and improve flexibility. It also is an incredibly potent way to reset your body and mind and go back to standing.

Physical Effects After Week Two

The initial aches and pains had subsided by the second week, and my lower back and calves felt normal again. I noticed that I paid close attention to my posture throughout the week and consciously pulled my shoulders back and engaged my core to avoid unnecessary strain.

Nonetheless, my feet started to feel a little tired by the end of the day as I gradually increased the standing duration. This prompted me to invest in a high-quality anti-fatigue mat, which made a huge difference by cushioning and supporting my feet.

While there were no significant improvements in any other aspects of my physical fitness besides an improvement in my posture and back pain, these kinds of changes take time. You must stick with this new lifestyle change for the long term to get the best bang for your standing buck.

Mental Impact

As the days went by, I felt more alert and focused while standing, especially in the morning. However, standing is not a magic bullet for improved concentration, and there were times when I felt just as distracted standing as I would have been sitting.

This points to the fact that proper rest and recovery are crucial for improved focus and concentration. Mental fog and persistent confusion are signs that your body needs more time to recover.

By the end of the second week, I was doing a 45:15 standing-sitting split more effectively and had a better understanding of how to incorporate standing into my work days.

Unexpected Observations

I had no idea what to expect while starting this challenge. While there were reports of improved focus and posture, I experienced an unexpected benefit — I was a bit more active outside of work.

I felt more energized in the evening and was also more willing to go for a walk or do some light exercise or stretching. Plus, I slept better during the second week and woke up feeling more refreshed. While I cannot be totally sure that this was directly related to the standing desk, I made no other significant changes in my routine to suggest otherwise.

Finally, being more physically active made me drink more water throughout the day, which can have a great impact on our overall health and well-being. (1)

Beyond the Two Weeks

In my opinion, the key is to use the standing desk strategically. It is not about standing all day, every day. It’s about using the standing desk to break up sedentary periods and boost focus when needed. Standing for extended periods without a break can place undue strain on your joints and lower back, significantly hampering your functionality and performance.

Going forward, I will employ a very different standing and sitting strategy in my work routine. I think that standing for the first half of the day and sitting for the second half will work better for me based on my workflow.

This will allow me to leverage the increased focus in the morning and avoid fatigue in the afternoon.

Furthermore, I intend to employ the standing desk strategically by standing more on some days and sitting more on others. I am inclined towards standing more on days when I am tackling work that requires deep concentration. On the other hand, I might sit more when I’m doing creative work or feeling fatigued.

Remember, you learn to listen to your body and adjust your set-stand split according to your unique lifestyle.

Conclusion

Using a standing desk can make you more active throughout the day. It helped improve my posture, boost my energy levels throughout the day, and relieve lower back tightness and strain. However, the key lies in using it strategically and consistently to get the desired results.

Switching to a standing desk changed my perspective on desk jobs and made me believe that being mindful and making some changes to our lifestyles can help us stay active throughout the day, even if we don’t have the time to exercise.

Start small and gradually increase your standing time, and you’ll be left wondering why you didn’t start this sooner.

If you have any questions about this two-week standing desk challenge or need help implementing it into your own routine, post them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References:

1. Nakamura Y, Watanabe H, Tanaka A, Yasui M, Nishihira J, Murayama N. Effect of Increased Daily Water Intake and Hydration on Health in Japanese Adults. Nutrients. 2020 Apr 23;12(4):1191. doi: 10.3390/nu12041191. PMID: 32340375; PMCID: PMC7231288.

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