Less Sitting, More Moving: Standing Desks, Mobility Breaks, and Everyday Comfort
As we start off the new year, many of us are looking for ways to improve our health, and as a Health Coach one of the main things I look for are those minor changes in a clients' lives that can stacked or progressed to accomplish a much larger change. One of those aspects I look for is movement as it has become far too easy for us to sit (or lay) in one position for far too long. I always look to incorporate small changes that can add a little movement, but that small change is then repeated multiple times throughout the day. There are many examples of this, choosing the further bathroom, walking the stairs and not using the elevator, parking further away, and so on, but another great one comes from the desk that we spend a good portion of our day behind. If we can switch that to an UPLIFT Standing Desk, even for a portion of a day, that change of position and posture plus the natural shifts and sways that will happen will naturally result in more movement during the day. Not to mention that we've now included at least two more squats during the day, which do add up.
First let's talk a bit about some of the challenges that come from sitting for long periods of time during the day. Even if you have perfect sitting posture, most of us don't, there is only so much movement you can encourage while sitting and that lack of movement not only creates stiffness but it also reduces blood flow. That stiffness and reduced blood flow makes moving even harder and creates that reinforcing circle that feeds on itself making you less likely to move. Poor posture combined with that reduced blood flow over time will reduce overall range of movement in your joints and as your body gets more used to sitting it will reduce resources sent to your leg muscles as they are spending large portions of the day resting. Yes you can (and should) strength train, but sitting for long periods makes those gains in the gym even harder to accomplish.
My UPLIFT Desk in the sitting configuation
One of the advantages of something like the UPLIFT Desk is that standing encourages your body to operate in a healthier fashion. First off, while it won't fix your posture, you're more likely to be in a neutral posture standing then most are when they're sitting. This posture shift not only promotes more blood flow but it removes so many of those sticking points that we sometimes find ourselves in while sitting. Also while standing there are many more opportunities even for subtle movements like shifting of weight, swaying, and small steps taken will all add up to increase your daily step count but a healthier working body overall. Standing requires your leg muscles to be activated and that will reinforce the work you're doing in the gym to help build and maintain strength. Having a standing option at your desk also promotes more movement as it presents more options.
When looking at standing options, a big component to consider is the ease at which you can switch from sitting to standing. I've tried a number of other options over the years, but one of the reasons I went with the UPLIFT Desk was the superior cable management options that can cause significant challenges if not handled properly. Also of consideration should be the ability to keep the workspace clean but also function in a similar fashion standing as it does while sitting. If you need to do a bunch of different things or use the space differently in different configurations, it becomes more of a hassle and as such you naturally won't leverage the options as frequently.
If you're looking to make a change in your workstation, I do recommend an audit of your current space, workflow, and current habits to make sure you account for as much as possible. While it may seem like a "nice to have" using mounting arms to lift and position monitors and laptops definitely is worth any extra fee they might come with. Not only does this free up your workspace but it also allows you to set it up in a way that reinforces proper posture. It is also important to look at the cable management options, something the UPLIFT Desk excels at, such that you can not only make it aesthetically pleasing, but also fully functional while both sitting and standing, without having any adjustments needed.
Mobility isn’t something you earn in one long stretching session—it’s something you build through frequent, low-effort movement. A standing desk turns everyday work into more opportunities to change angles, open up the hips, and keep the spine from locking into the same position for hours. Use the raise/lower button as your cue for a quick reset: a few breaths, a calf stretch, a hip hinge, or a 30-second walk. Want an easy way to bake that routine into your workday? Explore UPLIFT Desk and set up a sit-stand station that makes movement breaks automatic.
My UPLIFT Desk in the standing configuration.
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