When the Ergotherapy Varidesk arrived at my office I was a little bit sceptical. The giant box immediately put me off. How the hell was I going to get the thing on to my desk? With a little help from a colleague I pulled it out the box and had it set up in minutes. Despite the size it is extremely easy to move and lift to the required location.
The Ergotherapy Varidesk is a standing desk.
Say what? The concept of a standing desk is something I presumed was reserved for the hipsters of Cape Town, but not so. Recent studies have come out showing that those of us who spend the majority of our day sitting at a desk are far more prone to weight gain issues and back problems. If I think about how I slouch over my Macbook on most days, it comes as no surprise. My recent fitness kick has also played a big role in me wanting to find new ways to work. Have you ever sat at a desk after a hard morning of leg training? By 10am your thighs are cramping and getting up off your chair is nothing short of horrific. Your muscles tense up and I find myself getting up every few hours to try stretch it out.
And just like that an Ergotherapy Varidesk makes sense.
The desk fits comfortably on your current desk. Using two simple handles on the side (they require a basic squeeze) you’re able to lift the desk up to a comfortable position which allows you to work while standing. And you won’t break a nail adjusting the desk (believe it or not this matters to me. I like having a nice hand of nails). What I found rather interesting was how you could adjust it according to height. This allows you to adjust the desk to the perfect fit for you. One of my colleagues is a triathlete and a good head taller than me. Within 15 minutes of the desk arriving he had scurried it off to the Bat cave (my name for the developers’ office) and set it up. While he was able to use the desk at a height suitable to him, I was easily able to come in and change it so I could use it too.
It can also be lowered and used sitting. It has a stack of space so you can set up your computer screen and keyboard, Macbook and a few other bits and bobs around that.
But do you really need a standing desk or is it just a cute marketing gimmick?
Wrap your head around these stats for a minute:
- A New York Times article claimed that sitting down for long periods of time was proven to cause excessive weight gain and an early death rate.
- Estimations claim that the average human sits for roughly 8 hours a day. Staying seated for this amount of time has proven detrimental effects on our bodies.
- From 2010 to 2015 the American Cancer Society, University of Georgia and the University of Texas conducted a research between six and eight thousand men and women that visited the Cooper Clinic in Dallas during that time. The study showed that both men and woman who stand for at least a quarter of their day, decrease their chances of obesity by an average of 34 per cent and those who stood half the day, decreased risk of obesity by up to an average of 58 per cent. Stat taken from iol.co.za.
The worldwide argument now is that sitting is the new smoking. I’ve become very aware of how weak my body is. My muscles aren’t strong and they aren’t supple. I’ve been physically forcing myself to get up once an hour and move around (also in thanks to my Apple Watch from the iStore, which notifies me when I’ve been sitting for too long). The Ergotherapy Varidesk allows me to reach my standing goals without having to toddle around the office. It also improves posture because I need to stand up straight and not hunch over the desk. When you have tight muscles after a hard work out, standing and working would be far more beneficial for your body’s recovery.
Many co- op spaces and shared work spaces offer similar desk set ups already – because they’ve identified the need for a healthier office environment. It’s probably only a matter of time before the Ergotherapy Varidesk becomes a staple in the offices of leading tech companies and legal firms.
I haven’t had nearly enough time with the Varidesk because that colleague I mentioned has claimed it. He’s probably the fittest and healthiest person I know, so it comes as no surprise that he immediately identified the benefit of the desk. I’m taking the lead though. The Ergotherapy Varidesk is the ideal office companion for someone like me who is attempting to finally take better care of her body. Healthier humans achieve more (my fact). Standing could just make the difference to your work performance and your life!
The Ergotherapy Varidesk is available from Ergotherapy. There are various sizes in offer and they’re priced from R7000 upward. The quality design justifies the price. This isn’t a cheap piece of Chinese Plastic or a desk that will replace your current furniture. It sits well on your current desk and is of exceptional build quality – making it worth the splurge.
What do you think? Would you want to work standing up?
