Over the last few years, your backside has seen more chair than air. You know that you sit too much, and you’re beginning to sense that it might be bad for your body. Hearing the message that “sitting is killing us” over and over in the media (and on my website…sorry) has probably amplified your concern over the past year or so. You want the opportunity to spend less time in a seat and more time on your feet. The only thing standing between you and the version of yourself with a decreased risk of pain, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer is your employer’s willingness to buy you a standing desk. If you could only convince your boss/management to pay for this lovely new technology, you’d gladly use it.
I’d imagine that most bosses don’t care whether you do your work standing, sitting or bent over – as long as you’re meeting your deadlines. Unfortunately, asking your management to drop a grand on office furniture is pretty bold in this economy. Luckily, research, the media and Are You Ergo? are on your side. Here are the most relevant arguments to include when you decide to have the “standing desk talk” with your boss.
1. Sitting too much is killing me.
We’ve all heard the news that excessive sitting can cause heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. You can reinforce this message by providing a breakdown of the amount of time that you spend seated per day.
If your boss is the type of person who responds well to research, feel free to share this research with them.
At this point, your boss might be thinking, “so what, I’m at risk too – that’s why I workout/walk/run/bike after work.”
That’s when you bring up #2.
2. Even when I exercise, sitting is killing me.
Refer to the research done by Hamilton et al. in 2008, where they found that sitting time had “deleterious cardiovascular and metabolic effects that are independent of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity.”
The findings of this study suggest that even if you workout before or after work, if you sit too much, you’re still at heightened risk for illness and disease. No matter how healthy or active you are in your non-work time, your work habits can still take you down. This argument is crucial to your pitch because it makes your employer accountable for a portion of your health.
Sidebar: I hate to say it, but if you’re known for being lazy or inactive in your free time, this is a tougher argument to make. It’s certainly none of your boss’s business whether you spend your time tethered to the couch, but someone with a healthy lifestyle may have an easier time pulling this off. Luckily, there are more arguments to be made.
3. My __________ hurts.
If you’ve been experiencing back, shoulder, neck, hip, leg or foot pain, headaches, numbness, stiffness, discomfort, fatigue, etc. this would be the place to bring it up. Be sure to explain how this pain or difficulty affects your work. For example, “when I start to experience back pain in the mid-afternoon, I have trouble concentrating and it continues to get worse until the end of my day.” The physical demands of your job shouldn’t carryover into your non-work time, so if your back pain originates in your desk chair and follows you home, then let them know.
Of course, if you feel that your symptoms are too personal, or you have no symptoms, feel free keep that argument in your pocket. Preferably your front pockets though.
4. Standings desks reduce pain.
The act of standing during work has been shown to reduce musculoskeletal pain, compared to sitting. The participants in this study reported significantly lower symptoms in the eyes, neck, back, shoulders, wrists, hands and at various places in the upper arm and elbow.
5. Standing desks improve productivity.
When you read about people’s experience with standing desks, you often hear about how they have more energy and how they are more productive. While there isn’t a lot of research evidence to support this, the ergonomics lab at Cornell has some promising findings.
5. The clincher: The Trial Offer
At this point, your boss may be thinking: “So this hotshot can read from the internet, who cares?” This step is a litmus test for your own dedication to the idea of a standing desk, and it will go a long way towards convincing your boss of your commitment. You need to suggest a 3-4 week trial.
In this trial, you’ll use whatever boxes, platforms, books or bongo drums that you can find to create a standing desk. In fact, there’s actually an entertaining and informative article, written by ergonomics badass Matt Gereghty that can help you to hack together your own trial standing desk.
In suggesting this trial, you’re showing your boss that you’re in it for the right reasons and not just to be trendy. You’re a professional dammit, and you’re willing to take the time to make sure that this nifty standing desk will actually help you, before you ask your employer to invest.
Offer to write a brief weekly report on your progress and invite him or her to swing on by to see how it’s working out. You may find that standing all day is lame, or you may be distracted by the next new trend, if so – no harm done. Alternatively, you might find yourself stronger, healthier, more energetic, and more able to perform at your job. Either way, the trial run is a good place to start.
After noting your logic, dedication and research skills, your boss will more than likely have a newfound respect for you. Whether or not they give you the desk, I’m proud of you.
Of note, if you do pull it off and you’re awarded a shiny new sit-stand adjustable desk, be smart about it. Start with 15 minutes per hour and gently increase your standing time until you feel the magic. The overall goal should be to cycle between standing, walking and sitting. Good luck!
References:
Hamilton, M., Healy, G., Dunstan, D., Zderic T., Owen, N. (2008) Too Little Exercise and Too Much Sitting: Inactivity Physiology and the Need for New Recommendations on Sedentary Behaviour. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, 2(4), 292-298.
Hedge, A. (2004) Effects of an electric heigh-adjustable worksurface on self-assessed musculoskeletal discomfort and productivity in computer workers. Cornell University Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Laboratory, Technical Report 0904.
Owen, N. Bauman, A., Brown, W. (2009) Too much sitting: A novel and important predictor of chronic disease risk? British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2009, 43, 81-83.
Standing Desks in the Media:
Wired – Get a Standing Desk
The New York Times – Taking a Stand for Office Ergonomics
Business Week – Kill Your Desk Chair – and Start Standing
The Wall Street Journal – Standing Desks Are on the Rise
Take a brief walk, then come back and read another gem:
Make Your Own Standing Desk!
What Rafael Nadal’s big nasty can teach you about ergonomics.
Do I sit too much?
Ergonomics Fail: A real pain in the coccyx.
The Swiss Ball will save us!
Your wrists are like baby squirrels.
photo credit: HarshPatel;Photographer via photopin cc
photo credit: vanherdehaage via photopin cc