Pros and Cons of a Standing Desk

 

Image result for standing desk

It seems like every week there is another doctor proclaiming the deadly dangers of too much sitting. “Too much time spent sitting can lead to an early death!” they say. Here’s how it affects your health: when slumped in a chair, your body’s calorie-burning slows to a third of the rate it is while walking. Metabolism drops. Your risk of developing diabetes and becoming obese grows.

Are you considering a standing workplace station yet? To help with that decision, here are some pros and cons to standing desks:

THE PROS:

Calories. You burn more calories. Standing burns anywhere from 20-100% (depending on the study) more calories than sitting.

Less lower back pain. If your standing desk is set up ergonomically correct, it’s likely that it will improve lower back pain.

More energy. While this might sound counterintuitive, it’s actually a rebound effect of standing. If you spend an extra bit of energy standing, your body rebounds, giving you a bit more energy.

THE CONS:

Foot pain. If you go from sitting eight hours a day to standing eight hours a day, you will definitely feel it in your feet. To pull off a standing desk, you’ll need very comfortable shoes.

Decreased concentration. While this varies on the person, studies show that workers requiring lots of analytical concentration have better luck sitting down.

Coworkers. If you are at the only standing desk in the office, your coworkers may not be excited about a person looming over them. In a workplace, it’s always important to be considerate of those around you.

 

Improving email etiquette in the workplace

If you’re like me, there is never a dull moment in your work email inbox.  From notifying your colleague who sits just down the hall about lunch plans or connecting with other professionals across the globe, email seems to be the main source of communication in the workplace – and one of the main time sucks.

With the loss of the spoken word and the increase in technology, it has come to my attention that we may need a quick refresher on email etiquette. Below are some helpful tips to increase your email’s readability and overall communication professionalism:

  1. Put yourself in the mindset of the recipient. Before you press the send button, be sure to re-read the email for relevant context and any errors. If you are ever uncertain about your message, ask for another set of eyes for review before pressing send.
  2. Take caution of the reply-all. We’ve all been in an email chain that is not relevant to us.  Take note of who is receiving the email and also be aware of who is “CC’ed” on the email as well.
  3. Summarize forwarded messages. Reading a forwarded message can often feel like you are in unknown territory and can be difficult to put the pieces together. By summarizing the forwarded email, your recipient will be able to gather more information and better understand the matter at hand.
  4. Be courteous.The content in emails can sometimes get lost in translation and the tone of a message can sound different when reading it. Manners still go a long way.

Still want more steps to freshen up your email etiquette? Read here on how to “wow” your colleagues and get the attention of your peers.

  • Penny Kokkinides