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I have a relatively expensive Uplift desk. I've had it for about 4 months now and have 0 complaints on the $1200-ish I spent. Here's my protips: * Get one with

I have a relatively expensive Uplift desk. I've had it for about 4 months now and have 0 complaints on the $1200-ish I spent. Here's my protips: * Get one with a motor in it. Hand cranking sounds awful. * Get one with presets. Having to hold a button and wait for a desk to go up and down sucks. * Get one that goes up and down -- sitting or standing all the time sucks. * Regarding the above items, you'll probably want to move it up and down every 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. * Just because you can build one for $4 in parts or put your laptop on a box doesn't mean you should. If it looks like you made it out of $4 in parts or is an old diaper box you probably don't actually care about your workspace.

zodPod 11y ago
lol > Get one with a motor in it. "Damn I need to get a standing desk. I sit around too much and don't move around enough. GOD I definitely need to order the motorized version!"
- beambot 11y ago
  As with many things in life, reducing activation energy can have dramatic effects. For example: Most of the people I know, even the health conscious, don't get annual physicals. I pressed them on why, and it came down to this: They didn't want to spend a half-day getting it done. There's just too much activation energy: scheduling, commute, checking in, waiting around, finally seeing the doc for 10 minutes, driving back to work. It's even worse when you have to return for labs because they didn't inform you that you should fast before drawing blood for labs. Simply reducing the activation energy goes a long, long way!
  - eco 11y ago
    The last time I got a physical my doctor told me annual physicals are not necessary or recommended for someone my age. There is such a thing as excessive screening and testing. PSA testing (for prostate cancer) had so many false positives resulting in procedures that were ultimately harmful for the patients that the recommendation to get the test routinely was dropped entirely. Recently the American Cancer Society changed its mammogram recommendation age from 40 to 45. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Services went further and suggested 50 should be the age. Again, the reason is false-positives causing harmful outcomes.
    - marak830 11y ago
      Here in Japan we have a mandatory once a year checkup, and have to submit the results to our employer. Im still not sure if i agree with the once a year, but it makes my wife worry less. I greatly disagree with the giving it to the employer part, which is one of the reasons im switchng to freelance work.
- garyrichardson 11y ago
  Yeah, it's easy to say that, but you're assumptions are wrong. Spending time and breaking flow waiting for a desk to go up/down is a waste. I can keep typing and focusing while the desk goes up and down. Also, I don't stand because it burns calories and I wouldn't expect to burn significant calories cranking a desk or holding a button.
bhauer 11y ago
As someone who uses a fixed standing desk without a chair, aside from a desire to do periodic squats, I don't see the appeal of a transforming desk. But I know I am coming at this with a totally different point of view, and everyone's tastes are different. So I'm obviously not saying you're wrong. The following bit piqued my curiosity: > Regarding the above items, you'll probably want to move it up and down every 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. You transform your desk several times a day? I am surprised. I really didn't think transforming desks saw that much transformation in practice. Sounds like you are getting great value out of it!
- garyrichardson 11y ago
  The desk is constantly going up and down. Depends on what I'm working on, how my back is feeling (dealing with a herniated disc). I actually spend a lot of time pacing on the phone right now, so I may have it up for an hour phone call and then down for some writing.
cname 11y ago
I have a motorized sit/stand desk that doesn't have presets. It's not that bad, but I do agree that it's probably worth spending a little extra on. I sometimes try to keep typing with one hand while I'm pushing the up/down button, and that doesn't work so well.

zodPod 11y ago

lol > Get one with a motor in it. "Damn I need to get a standing desk. I sit around too much and don't move around enough. GOD I definitely need to order the motorized version!"

beambot 11y ago
As with many things in life, reducing activation energy can have dramatic effects. For example: Most of the people I know, even the health conscious, don't get annual physicals. I pressed them on why, and it came down to this: They didn't want to spend a half-day getting it done. There's just too much activation energy: scheduling, commute, checking in, waiting around, finally seeing the doc for 10 minutes, driving back to work. It's even worse when you have to return for labs because they didn't inform you that you should fast before drawing blood for labs. Simply reducing the activation energy goes a long, long way!
- eco 11y ago
  The last time I got a physical my doctor told me annual physicals are not necessary or recommended for someone my age. There is such a thing as excessive screening and testing. PSA testing (for prostate cancer) had so many false positives resulting in procedures that were ultimately harmful for the patients that the recommendation to get the test routinely was dropped entirely. Recently the American Cancer Society changed its mammogram recommendation age from 40 to 45. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Services went further and suggested 50 should be the age. Again, the reason is false-positives causing harmful outcomes.
  - marak830 11y ago
    Here in Japan we have a mandatory once a year checkup, and have to submit the results to our employer. Im still not sure if i agree with the once a year, but it makes my wife worry less. I greatly disagree with the giving it to the employer part, which is one of the reasons im switchng to freelance work.
garyrichardson 11y ago
Yeah, it's easy to say that, but you're assumptions are wrong. Spending time and breaking flow waiting for a desk to go up/down is a waste. I can keep typing and focusing while the desk goes up and down. Also, I don't stand because it burns calories and I wouldn't expect to burn significant calories cranking a desk or holding a button.

bhauer 11y ago

As someone who uses a fixed standing desk without a chair, aside from a desire to do periodic squats, I don't see the appeal of a transforming desk. But I know I am coming at this with a totally different point of view, and everyone's tastes are different. So I'm obviously not saying you're wrong. The following bit piqued my curiosity: > Regarding the above items, you'll probably want to move it up and down every 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. You transform your desk several times a day? I am surprised. I really didn't think transforming desks saw that much transformation in practice. Sounds like you are getting great value out of it!

garyrichardson 11y ago
The desk is constantly going up and down. Depends on what I'm working on, how my back is feeling (dealing with a herniated disc). I actually spend a lot of time pacing on the phone right now, so I may have it up for an hour phone call and then down for some writing.

cname 11y ago

I have a motorized sit/stand desk that doesn't have presets. It's not that bad, but I do agree that it's probably worth spending a little extra on. I sometimes try to keep typing with one hand while I'm pushing the up/down button, and that doesn't work so well.