[tentblogger-vimeo 26324060]
[This is part of the Problogger Home Office Series.]
(Sorry for the low volume – baby was sleeping!)
Wow. My feet seriously hurt!
As I shared in the video I’ve been trying a Standing Desk for more than three weeks (it’s actually closer to a month now) and my feet have not gotten used to standing for such long periods of time as I had hoped.
I’ve done a five to six hour stretch before (with breaks) but I’ve paid for it later that evening. I can’t figure what I’m doing wrong – is it my mat? Is it my posture? Am I not taking enough breaks?
I’d love your thoughts, especially for those that have successfully made the move to a Standing Desk!
Much cleaner now... but still very temporary.
I’ve also been able to clear out most of the area to temporarily house my work as the rest of the house comes together.
Sadly, it would seem that fate has yet to bless me with both the time and finances to craft my home office with speed – we’ve had to redo the plumbing and water system, install copper gutters (the copper increased the contract work 1,000%!), redo insulation in the top and bottom of the house, and even fix half the home’s electrical outlets (not grounded):
Bummer. Of course it wasn’t a “quick” fix and we had to pull new wiring everywhere. And those issues are just half of what I’m slowly working through in terms of home improvements.
It is what it is!
But, I have been able to carve out a little office and it’ll do just fine – sometimes we have to manage our limited spaces as well as we can and make a “home” where we are, regardless of the circumstances, right?
My buddies are now positioned over me so as to inspire my writing efforts:
I’ll take accountability wherever I can!
Have a great week of writing everyone!
[This is part of the Problogger Home Office Series.]
My day jobs for the past year have all been ones that require standing for upwards of 8 hours with only 20 minutes of break-time in between. I’d say your best bet would definitely be to take more breaks but also to try and keep moving. At my current job where 10-hour shifts are a normal thing, my feet hardly hurt because I have to move around a lot. I think it has something to do with weight shifting from various parts of your feet and not focusing too much on one single point on your feet at any given time.
sweet. i’ve tried this. thanks dan!
Chances are, it has a lot to do with what shoes you’re wearing. A guy I worked with had a standing desk largely because sitting all day hurt his back.
He bought a pair of Dr. Scholl’s shoes (not the inserts) and said it helped a lot.
I know wedding photographers too that speak highly of those shoes as well.
http://www.amazon.com/DR-SCHOLLS-WORK-Mens-Cambridge/dp/B004MR7UKK
oh man. thanks for this jay.
I would agree that moving is probably what’s best. That’s why I’m skipping the standing desk and (hopefully) getting a treadmill desk!
… i still can’t believe those exist.
Hi John,
I have had many standing jobs, however, the ones where I am moving around are by far the less fatiguing. I would suggest that you do stretching exercises during your breaks as well. The muscles will begin to fatigue and spasm when made to remain in one spot for too long. It is the protection mechanism of the body. So before you start your day and many times during the day, do stretching for your feet, legs, arms, chest, waist, neck. It is so important.
If standing desk is what you really want then do follow some of the suggestions put forth by commentors. However, I would suggest you listen to your body. If your body is not happy, you won’t be happy; then, it will reflect in your focus and your writing.
Take care and hope some of the comments are helpful for you. Sally
i’ve done stretching this past week…! and it has helped!
Hi John,
I hope this testimony motivates you to keep standing.
Inspired by your first post about standing desk I decided to give it a try too. I’m loving it so far. It’s also been three weeks for me and I’ve lost 1kg (2.2 lb) per week. Yes, my feet still hurts (albeit considerably less than the first week), yes my calves are sore, yes I am very tired when I hit the bed. But guess what… I firmly believe that, in this case, pain IS gain! Let it heart! :0) The pain means that your body is trying to adjust to the big change you’ve made. That’s all. I simply don’t see myself spending a third of my life on a chair anymore.
So, just by switching to a standing desk I’ve moved from a sedentary to an active life style. So, don’t take longer breaks. don’t go back to a seating desk, just push harder! How? On your breaks, do some standing calf push-ups, some stretching, some leg flex… ok, sit for a while, but go right back to standing. You will be healthier in the long run.
If my example wasn’t that inspiring, here are a few interesting links on sitting vs. standing:
Just give it a try for 30 Days!
http://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days.html
Sitting is Killing You
http://www.medicalbillingandcoding.org/sitting-kills/
No Really – Sitting Is Killing You
http://blogs.plos.org/obesitypanacea/2011/07/12/no-really-sitting-is-killing-you/
Grat Q&A on Standing Desk
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/standing/standing_basic.html
Workspace Planner – Make sure your desk is ergonomically set
http://www.ergotron.com/tabid/305/language/en-US/default.aspx
I hope I could contribute and bless you, since you’ve been blessing me so much through your blogs. :0)
My improv standing desk setup: http://bit.ly/rkb7oj
:0)
Oops… I mean “Let it HURT!” Although your heart will thank you too… so I guess let it heart!:0)
haha!
You guys have motivated me!!! I’m gonna consider giving it a go.
please let me know how it goes tiffany!
I LOVE THIS! thanks for the encouragement!!!!!!! i have no idea if i’ve lost any weight… but i feel stronger!
saw this and thought of you! used by surgeons, chefs and etc.!
http://www.gelpro.com/
you’re the best!
Not sure what to suggest for you. I have been standing I guess about 2 months now. My muscles still get sore some, but I kind of enjoy the burn (is that odd?). Kind of like getting a leg workout. I do stretch, march in place, and shift my weight throughout the day as I work. My main sitting break is normally just during my lunch hour. Besides that I don’t need to take many other breaks.
Sorry I can’t give any other ideas. I haven’t even gotten a mat to stand on yet. My next step would be to get a mat and comfy shoes or better inserts (I bought the cheap Dr. Scholls inserts, but they don’t help too much).
Just find what works best for you. Maybe it isn’t standing. Good luck and keep the great Tentblogger content coming. It has been very beneficial for my work on improving my personal site and our church’s website. Thanks!
no, i totally get the “burn” and i like it. what mat did you get?
As a former Pedorthist I have a few suggestions.
First I would find a good pair of shoes to wear (as mentioned above). I would probably lean towards a good running shoe for it to be cushioned, lightweight and breathable.
Second you may want to have your foot checked out. If your foot has any kind of posture issue (e.g. arch collapse), all of that standing can your feet and lower legs. A good running specialty store should be able to provide you with some basic evaluation and advice. A good insole like a Superfoot or Sole can turn a good shoe into a great shoe.
Third I would echo the comments so far about mixing up the standing time, and getting moving once in a while. I would also focus on calf, hamstring and low back stretches, as those muscle groups in particular react the most to longer periods of standing.
I should probably write some posts about this kind of stuff at some point.
love to see those posts! especially from someone with your background.
I don’t have any suggestions re: standing desk but wanted to send my condolences on your having to deal with wiring/plumbing issues. It really stinks to have to spend money on stuff for a new (to you) house that you can’t really see. Our air conditioner broke last week on move-in day so I know the pain of which I speak.
ugh! i don’t mind fixing things… but i do mind the money required to do it..!
So sorry to hear about your painful feet, legs, etc. Are your legs turning red or bluish or puffy? Might indicate poor circulation. I just can’t see how standing in one spot so long is healthy. I try to move around as I’m at a sitting desk and find that’s difficult because I’m too busy to leave the desk for any period of time I’m suspecting you’re the same? I do hear those mats help if you ask cashiers or some hairdressers they can recommend the good mats that may help.
Any chance you might move to a sitting desk?
On other note, can I ask why you needed the copper gutters? could vinyl work it’s much less expensive.
nope… not puffy… that would be weird!
i think i’ll have a combination of sitting and standing…
and… i have some copper gutters already so we wanted them to match.
I get that pain is often a necessary part of building strength… but this experiment has Ockham’s Razor written all over it. The least assumptive explanation is that the pain is telling you to stop.
… you are too smart for me.
I agree with the comments about moving around – that seems to at least help a bit.
What I found was that I over-compensated my standing desk and made it too tall (I don’t really have a consistent desk that I sit at anymore – I usually work around town). I’m often much more comfortable when I have the space to stretch a bit as I work.
Overall, I ended up ditching the standing-desk idea. If I really need to hunker down and work and don’t feel like sitting all day, I’ll put a box under my computer and do that.
Good luck finding your setup! It’s fun to see and be a part of the process, John!
thanks jason! i’m not close to giving up… but i have considered it…!
Couldn’t do a standing desk…not sure I even like my chair.
)
I seriously need a “like” button for this, Nikole! haha
that was pretty clever… i’m sure she needs a bean bag. …
bean bag?
Would you consider and adult version of one of these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mizqB_3gHmI
yes. for serious.
hey that’s my old desk
enjoy the bottle opener
wait… where? you use the “crank” thing to open cans?
Yes, John. Use the *bottle* opener to open *cans*.
…?
puahaha
……
typically i use my teeth.
I have a standing desk and I can’t do more than 45 minutes or so at a time. I got a cheap barstool and will sit on that for a few minutes to change things up. Works well.
Good luck and don’t give up!
do you have this close to your desk?
Ah the fun of being a homeowner. I’m excited for my turn and not at the same time.
As for the standing desk thing… when you first brought it to my attention I thought it was a cool idea. However the more I think about it… it would be not ideal. I think what initially gets people pumped about a standing desk is the thought that sitting for long periods of time is not healthy. So the natural thing to do would be to stand. However that’s not exactly good either… as your finding out. I guess where I’m going with this is, what’s wrong with sitting at your desk and carving out space in your work-flow to get up and move around from time to time?
well, it’s not good if i don’t get used to it…
i think your option though is looking really good right about now…
John, you should take a look at Ergotron’s Sit/Stand workstation. This is
ideal and you can see it at: http://ergotron.com and click on workstations.
It’s not good to sit all day and this product has helped me a great deal. This is not a promotion of any kind. Click on their video for a demo…Cheers!
wow, thanks for this!
I’ve just posted about my cheap ikea DIY standing desk. My back pain is gone and my feet are adapting nicely. I work barefoot or wearing my vibram fivefingers so I guess that’s helping.
I take breaks though. Not just sit down but move around. Walking relieves my shoulders and feet.
You can look at my setup here: http://alejandroportela.com/minimalist-standing-desk-diy-from-ikeas-8-mammut/
It cost me less than eight bucks hehe.
thanks alejandro! check it out!
Thank you so much for writing this article! I’ve been noticing a lot the growing popularity of standing desks and wondered if I should get one too. Well your article convinced me not to. And it’s a good thing.
I don’t fear for my feet so much as my legs and knees. I worked over 3 years in jobs that required a lot of standing and walking before going freelance. My feet hardly felt any paint and neither did my legs. What your story reminded me was the many hours I spent painting in front of an easel in university. 3-5 hours not moving and painting intensely were very painful on my knees and muscles. And since my job includes a creative element, I know for a fact I will forget to move and stretch as I’ll be focused on the task.
A standing desk isn’t for me. So thank you for writing this once again