Taking a Stand

by Mel Koehler, Account Executive

“Your chair is your enemy,” says Olivia Judson of the New York Times in a recent article.

Judson goes on: “Sitting is one of the most passive things you can do…if you spend most of the rest of the day sitting—in your car, your office chair, on your sofa at home—you are putting yourself at increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and an early death.”

Anyone visiting SPARK will see that I agree. My office looks slightly out of the ordinary—I’ve had my work area modified so I can stand at my desk.

Judson touches primarily on the health aspect, but the advantages are even greater. I have been doing this for years, and discovered that the productivity benefits of standing in the workplace are numerous.

Standing at work:

• Increases productivity since you feel freer to move and respond quicker
• Improves posture since you aren’t slumping or slouching in your chair
• Keeps you more alert due to increased circulation to your muscles and brain
• Helps relieve fatigue often felt from sitting and being sedentary all day
• Enhances multitasking
• Burns more calories than sitting
• Gives people something to talk about

I drive 45 minutes to work, so by the time I get in I’m ready to stand. And I’ve never been a sitter, often standing at home watching TV and usually the lone one standing in a group while everyone else is sitting!

Try it, and see if you feel the benefits, too.