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The need to be stationary for 8 hours a day. standing desks help, but not enough. I plan to start doing yoga, which I think will help with this.

by vga805 8y ago

rubicon33 8y ago
This is one of my biggest complaints about the job. Unfortunately, standing desks, under-desk cycles, and I would guess (though have not tried) treadmill desks, are not complete solutions. I am certainly not as focussed while I'm using my under-desk cycle than I am when I am sitting still in a chair. It's great for certain types of dev work, but not great for when I need to learn something new or tackle a really critical situation. I wish this work was more physical, but alas, it's just not.
corysama 8y ago
Not perfect, but... get up and walk around! You have more than enough to think over for a short walk on a regular basis. If it doesn’t seem like it, maybe it should. In practice I only spend a few minutes a day actually typing code. Most of my time is spent trying to figure out WTF I should do.
- vga805 8y ago
  good point. i used to walk and think a lot when i was in academia. the act of walking always added a different dimension to my thought processes, though it's hard to describe in exactly what way. I'll try to make an effort to do that more often now! thanks
WheelsAtLarge 8y ago
A note on this, my doctor tells me that sitting for a long time will ruin your lower back and will cause problems in the future if you are not proactive and minimize it. This is an absolute fact so keep that in mind. He sees it constantly in his older patients.
mtalantikite 8y ago
I started a yoga practice at the beginning of the year and it’s been amazing. I wasn’t inactive before — being in NYC I always walk and I used to run a good amount — but yoga has opened my body up further than I really realized was possible. All those years sitting at a desk coding and studying all day really took its toll. I’d suggest trying a few yoga schools out until you find the teachers you connect with who teach a style you like (I’ve found Ashtanga to work for me). Then just commit yourself to struggle through it for the first couple months until your body starts opening up.

The need to be stationary for 8 hours a day. standing desks help, but not enough. I plan to start doing yoga, which I think will help with this.

by vga805 8y ago

The need to be stationary for 8 hours a day. standing desks help, but not enough. I plan to start doing yoga, which I think will help with this.

rubicon33 8y ago

This is one of my biggest complaints about the job. Unfortunately, standing desks, under-desk cycles, and I would guess (though have not tried) treadmill desks, are not complete solutions. I am certainly not as focussed while I'm using my under-desk cycle than I am when I am sitting still in a chair. It's great for certain types of dev work, but not great for when I need to learn something new or tackle a really critical situation. I wish this work was more physical, but alas, it's just not.

corysama 8y ago

Not perfect, but... get up and walk around! You have more than enough to think over for a short walk on a regular basis. If it doesn’t seem like it, maybe it should. In practice I only spend a few minutes a day actually typing code. Most of my time is spent trying to figure out WTF I should do.

vga805 8y ago
good point. i used to walk and think a lot when i was in academia. the act of walking always added a different dimension to my thought processes, though it's hard to describe in exactly what way. I'll try to make an effort to do that more often now! thanks

WheelsAtLarge 8y ago

A note on this, my doctor tells me that sitting for a long time will ruin your lower back and will cause problems in the future if you are not proactive and minimize it. This is an absolute fact so keep that in mind. He sees it constantly in his older patients.

mtalantikite 8y ago

I started a yoga practice at the beginning of the year and it’s been amazing. I wasn’t inactive before — being in NYC I always walk and I used to run a good amount — but yoga has opened my body up further than I really realized was possible. All those years sitting at a desk coding and studying all day really took its toll. I’d suggest trying a few yoga schools out until you find the teachers you connect with who teach a style you like (I’ve found Ashtanga to work for me). Then just commit yourself to struggle through it for the first couple months until your body starts opening up.