New Year, New Desk Why You Should Switch to a Standing Desk in 2024

2020 has been a long year full of unexpected hurdles and for many people, lots and lots of sitting. With an uncertain future and many companies moving to fully remote teams, it’s time to invest in a standing desk for your health and happiness.

Remote work has been growing steadily for the past decade, but the rates of remote workers have skyrocketed in 2020 due to the Coronavirus global pandemic. Since 2010, remote working has increased by 400%, with 62% of employees between 22 and 65 saying they work remotely at least occasionally.

The Pros and Cons of Remote Work

Working remotely has many benefits, including convenience, more time with family and companies being able to source talent from outside of their locality. Most people would choose to skip their commute and have a slower moving morning. Many, especially those in creative careers, work much better from home without distractions or micromanagement.

Aside from all the positive sides of remote work, there are a few glaring negatives. Reduced social interaction and boredom are a few. Perhaps one of the worst impacts of working from home is a sedentary life, including way too much sitting.

9 to 5 office life is also sedentary, but when you factor in lunch breaks, walks to the water cooler and coffee maker, and commuting, there is a lot more movement than a remote workday. Even when you commute via car, you have to walk to and from the car. These little trips add up throughout the day, and when you factor them out, you take away movement that your skeletal and muscular system needs throughout the day. Even with added workouts and walks, it’s hard on your body to sit for 8 or more hours a day in front of a computer.

The Health Impact of Sitting

Sitting too much can be incredibly hard on your health, causing short and long-term problems. Long stretches of sitting can cause poor circulation, which can lead to an increased chance of stroke and heart attack. It also raises your chances of getting diabetes and high blood pressure because of weight gain combined with reduced circulation and movement.

Long periods of sitting and screen time can negatively impact your mental health, too. Extended screen time alone isn’t good, but when you combine that with sitting, it can cause increased anxiety and depression. Sleep issues and insomnia are often attributed to a sedentary lifestyle in front of screens.

Sitting for hours at a time can also wear on your skeletal and muscular systems. Sitting puts tremendous strain on your hips and lower back. The pressure on your spine can cause degeneration of the spinal discs, which can cause lifelong chronic pain. Having a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to a slowing of the metabolism, causing weight gain that is hard or impossible to lose.

It can feel overwhelming to read this during a time where so many of us have no other option than to work remotely for 8 or more hours a day. In the winter, the sun sets early and it’s too cold to go for walks in many parts of the world. One small change can make a huge difference in the impact of remote work. Getting a standing desk can change your day to day life and change your overall health for the better.

Standing Vs. Sitting

Does standing instead of sitting really make that much of a difference?

Yes, in fact, it does!

Researchers have discovered that standing burns 0.15 more calories per minute than sitting, which would help the average person burn 54 more calories a day, on average. You’re more likely to move when you’re standing, so that number could be even higher. That adds up a minimum of 270 extra calories a week, which will contribute to a healthier weight and metabolism over time.

More importantly, standing more than sitting increases circulation which helps to prevent many diseases and ailments including stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. It also decreases the chance of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders.

If committing to a full 8 hours of standing sounds overwhelming, don’t worry, you don’t have to! The SmartDesk makes it easy to switch between sitting and standing quietly with the press of a button.

The Future of Working Remotely

You may be wondering if purchasing a SmartDesk 2 (Standard) is a good decision as a long-term investment. Many are hoping that the Covid-19 Pandemic will be resolved in 2021, allowing us to go back to commuting to an office to work. It’s always best to look towards the future with optimism. However, this global pandemic has changed the world forever, especially in terms of a remote workforce.

Many companies are looking towards the future with remote teams in mind. The pandemic has forced many companies to move into working remotely, which has proved the increased productivity, interconnectedness, and convenience of working from home. Having a remote team also cuts the costs of office space or eliminates it altogether. More than ever, we are realizing our capability to come together on a global scale to create, innovate, and grow.

The Global Workplace Analytics estimate of the future of the workplace by the end of 2021, 30% of the global workforce will be working from home at least a few days a week according to The Global Workplace Analytics. The world is moving towards online work as the standard.

An investment in a standing desk is not just a temporary fix. As the world moves towards remote work, you’ll be ready with a SmartDesk that has sitting and standing capabilities. Whether you work full time, are a freelancer, or use your home computer for personal projects, a desk with standing capabilities will greatly improve your life.

Start Off 2022 On Your Feet

A lot has been out of our control in 2022, and a lot will continue to be out of our hands in the new year to come. One thing that you can control is your health and wellness through making conscious decisions, like standing more often than you are sitting. Investing in a SmartDesk is not just excellent for your health, but it will also increase productivity and overall wellness. Start off the New Year on the right foot… or feet… with a new standing desk!