By David Saunders, Health Editor | UPDATED: 08:28, 26 June 2020
A couple of years back I had some serious issues with blood circulation from sitting down too long at my desk whilst working.
You know how it goes whilst at work, getting so engrossed in what you’re doing you actually forget to move from your desk and before you know it you haven’t actually moved for about 3 hours.
Well learning some harsh lessons from this I now make sure I actually stand up and move around the office after every half an hour or so, this was until I discovered a new solution which has actually reinvented the way I work now.
Varidesk have come up with a worktop desk that actually sits up on top of your normal desk allowing you to stand and work so as keeping mobile whilst you are working, now some may say this has a different impact as standing for too long can also have the same impact as sitting too long. So what did Varidesk do? They made their desks electronic so you can raise or lower it to whether you wish to stand or sit for however long you need to. It is great to transition between sitting and standing during the day.
Varidesk may be a little more expensive than some of the other brands but if you consider the workmanship that goes into them you can then appreciate paying that little bit extra for the quality. As soon as you pick up the box you realise how heavy it is due to the quality of the materials being used. I would however say you will need a pretty sturdy office desk to sit it on,
During the average day office workers can be sedentary for up to 19.5 hours. It seems a lot, but when you break it up it shows how easy it is to not move and how quickly and easy your day passes you by.
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1.5 Hours Sat commuting via Car, Train or Bus.
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8 Hours Sat in the office chair.
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2 Hours Sat eating dinner and watching TV after work.
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8 hours Laying Down Sleeping,
When a sedentary lifestyle consumes us it leaves you with only 4.5 hours per day of potential movement – It doesn’t take an academic or doctor to realise that can’t be good for your health. When a working day is often fixed in routine, you can only really gain more movement through adapting work your working habits.
Simple changes include taking standing meetings, not only are they quicker, you’ll feel more focused as standing increases blood flow and your amplified circulation to your brain will awaken your senses.
I have seriously fallen in love with this desk and I can’t rate it high enough as it has revolutionised how I now think about working, I only wish I’d known about this a couple of years back now. It certainly is an absolute workhorse of a desk where I can fit at least two screens upon it, I would also recommend getting an anti-fatigue mat to stand on.
Varidesk lead the way, with their choice of desks for every set-up. They offer sit-stand converters such as the Pro Plus 30, 36 and 48, Which simply slot on top of a regular desk and can make any desk a standing desk. It will get you from sitting to standing in under 3 seconds.
The Varidesk Pro Plus 30, 36 & 48 range from £275 to £425 from Uk.Varidesk.com
If you’re constrained in the corner of your office Varidesk offer corner desks, such as the popular Cube Corner 36 which save space, but slotting on top of your corner desk.