3 simple tips to help get the most out of your electric sit-stand desk

Electric Sit-stand Desk

3 simple tips to help get the most out of your electric sit-stand desk

Ergomotion is one of the leading suppliers of electric sit-stand desks in Melbourne and Australia.

We provide high-quality standing desks that can protect your health, while also helping you feel more alert and productive at work.

And as experts in all things ergonomics, itโ€™s no surprise that we get a lot of questions about the best practices for using an electric sit-stand desk.

In our experience, simply standing isnโ€™t always enough to unlock these benefits – you have to go about it the right way.

What exactly does that involve?

3 tips for using your electric sit-stand desk

Itโ€™s 2019 – we all know that sitting down all day is really bad for our health, our productivity, and our posture.

Is it any surprise that standing desks have become such a popular office trend?

Like many things ergonomic however, thereโ€™s a โ€œrightโ€ way to use a standing deskโ€ฆ and as such, thereโ€™s also a โ€œwrongโ€ way.

So, with that said – what are the best practices for using an ergonomic desk? And are you using your electric sit-stand desk correctly?

Tip 1 –ย  How long you stand for

This is a good question – and one that many first-time standing desk users get wrong!

Many assume that they should stand all the time – how else are you supposed to use a standing desk, after all?

Hereโ€™s the rub, however: standing all day can be almost as bad as sitting all day!

Thatโ€™s because standing strains your legs, and can accelerate wear-and-tear.

The best way to avoid this? By alternating between the two modes.

According to a study by the University of Waterloo – you should aim for 30 minutes of standing for every hour of sitting.

Other studies suggest 15 minutes of standing for every hour, while others recommend 45 minutes of standing every hour.ย 

While the juryโ€™s still out on the exact ratio of sitting to standing, whatโ€™s clear is that youโ€™ll have to mix them up.

To start with, we suggest choosing a balance that fits you – test your limits, and set standing time based on that.

Another piece of advice is to alternate throughout the day. Instead of doing all your standing in one hours-long block and all your sitting in another, switch between the two regularly.

Consistently switching between sitting and standing is the critical key to unlocking the benefits of an electric sit-stand desk!

Tip 2 –ย  The height of your sit-stand desk

Now, obviously the answer to this question depends on how tall you are.ย 

But that doesnโ€™t really give you all the information you need:

  • Where should your eyes be?
  • How should your elbows rest?
  • Where should your desk sit relative to your torso?

It mightnโ€™t sound important – from an ergonomics standpoint however, each of these decisions has a dramatic impact on your bodyโ€™s health and posture!

So how do you know youโ€™re sitting (or standing) at the right height?

The easiest way to track this is to look at the position of you arms.

Ideally, your elbows should rest at a 90 degree angle, with your hands sitting level with your keyboard.

This is the ideal position for your arms to be in, as it minimises the amount of tensing your shoulders feel. You should avoid bunching your shoulders up while working; they should remain relaxed and neutral.

If youโ€™re still unsure if your desk is at the right height, hereโ€™s an extra tip: the computer screen itself should be at eye level, with your eyes lining up with the top quarter of your monitor.

Sit-stand Desk Melbourne

Tip 3 – Keep moving!

When people purchase an ergonomic desk, we often see them assuming that all their health and physical needs are met.

Not quite true. In fact, there are several other things you need to do to make sure youโ€™re looking after your body while using an electric sit-stand desk.

We mentioned above that standing for long periods of time simply puts stress on muscles and joints, which can result in pain and muscle tension over time.

The solution is to keep moving throughout the day.

In addition to stopping this, moving around also lets you keep other parts of your body active – for example, if yourย  office plays the radio in the background, feel free to sway or tap your feet.

In addition to relieving the pressure off one joint and onto another, it also increases your amount of incidental physical activity.

Discover some additional low-impact exercises you can do at the office here.

The best electric sit-stand desks in Melbourne

Our team at Ergomotion is committed to raising workplaces all over Melbourne and Australia to a higher level of health and productivity.

And thatโ€™s exactly what our electric sit-stand desks are designed to do.

Unlike conventional standing desks, electric sit-stand desks can be freely adjusted by the user with minimal effort – all youโ€™ll need to do is toggle a couple of switches.

This allows you to adjust freely – youโ€™ll be able to maximise the benefit of an electric sit-stand desk and employ each of these tips.

Our electric sit-stand desks can also be configured to save your preferences. Once you find the perfect height, you wonโ€™t need to worry about fumbling around with the dials. This also means your desk can be shared with coworkers.

No matter what type of business you run, your health and wellbeing can benefit from electric sit-stand desks.

Itโ€™s not just desks, however – as part of our mission to create more ergonomic workplaces, we also provide a wide range of other products to increase health and mobility in the office, including desk accessories, monitor arms, projector lifts and TV lifts.

If you are interested in investing in the sit-stand desk Melbourne office workers choose, get in touch with us today. Alternatively, give us a call on (03) 9579 1454.

author avatar
Guy Director
Higher Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Ergomotion Director since 2005.

Google Reviews

Ergomotion

Google Reviews

Shelley Jensen 07/09/24

Google
Guy (the owner) delivered the desk and set it up quickly. He then gave me a lesson on how to use it and how to get the most out of it. Arrived on time and was absolutely lovely to deal with throughout the whole process. Highly recommend.

clifford sneider 06/09/24

Google
Guy was fantastic and the desk is amazing

Jo Manning 08/08/24

Google
I bought an adjustable desk from Guy a couple of years ago, got great service and good price. Recently we had a tiny issue which could not be fixed over the phone. Guy was more than happy to come out and look at it 2 days later. All fixed! I really appreciated his patience with me and accommodating us so quickly. Great old fashioned service and piece of mind. I love it. I know where to get my second desk when needed. Thank you Guy. Jo Manning

Deborah Hunt 25/07/24

Google
ergomotion were fantastic to deal with. excellent customer service and a great product.

Andrew Pieterse 14/06/24

Google
Great service and really quick shipping. It is great to know that you are getting quality parts from a Scandinavian manufacturer with your standing desk purchase rather than the cheap knock off stuff you get from other major brands. Reasonably priced for the quality too!

Janette Clarke 20/05/24

Google
Guy was very accommodating with meeting him at a time that suited me. He assembled the desk prior to me collecting so I only had to carry it inside with help (it's pretty heavy). The desk is great, the storage racks underneath with the 6 x built in powerpoints was worth the extra money. I have a functioning & tidy workplace.
Guy was brilliant, I highly recommend.
Janette

Nickel 10/05/24

Google
Have now purchased 2 stand up office desks off Guy, benchmark sales service from him, all via email, so easy; from quote to plug in, only matched by the strong quality of these machines, solid and stable. If only everything in life was this easy and reliable.

Jennifer Fadriquela 23/03/24

Google
I purchased an EDesk this month from Ergomotion, and it was a remarkably smooth transaction. Guy was eager to answer all my questions before my purchase. As a first-time buyer of a standing desk, I truly appreciated how he addressed my queries with thorough details and provided options within my budget.

The delivery process was also smooth, despite a slight delay in the ETA. Guy ensured I received all necessary updates from the courier/removalist.

I've been using the desk for a couple of weeks now and I'm satisfied with it. It's sturdy on all height adjustments and the motor works as expected. I also like oak finish because it's clean-looking and suits my room setup.

Overall, I'm happy with my purchase and I'll definitely recommend Ergomotion to someone looking for their desk needs.

Josh Oliver 04/02/24

Google
I've had an ergomotion desk for 10 years. It's still as good today as it was brand new. Over the years Guy has always responded promptly to any guidance I've needed (mostly help putting the desk back together after removalists take it apart).

Michael Cheung 18/01/24

Google
Great service from Guy and the team at Ergomotion! Helped with all my queries and was able to source a standing desk part for me when many others weren't able! Highly recommend!
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