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, it’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 isn’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

It’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, there’s a “right” way to use a standing desk… and as such, there’s also a “wrong” 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 –  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?

Here’s the rub, however: standing all day can be almost as bad as sitting all day!

That’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. 

While the jury’s still out on the exact ratio of sitting to standing, what’s clear is that you’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 –  The height of your sit-stand desk

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

But that doesn’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 mightn’t sound important – from an ergonomics standpoint however, each of these decisions has a dramatic impact on your body’s health and posture!

So how do you know you’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 you’re still unsure if your desk is at the right height, here’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.

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 you’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 your  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 that’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 you’ll need to do is toggle a couple of switches.

This allows you to adjust freely – you’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 won’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.

It’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.