Standing Desks Are Over Rated, And Here’s Why

Many of you are thinking it, but I’ll say it. Standing desks or sit-to-stand desks, whatever you want to call them, for all their hype with YouTube videos after YouTube videos, are very much overrated.

There, I said it.

But why, you ask? Why do I think standing desks are so overrated?

Why Standing Desks Are Popular

First off, let’s ignore the very obvious part about the marketing dollars spent on ads or influencer marketing, where influencers receive free products. Let’s just set that aside for now.

Once you do, you’ll see that another reason they’ve grown so popular is the notion that they help you avoid potential health risks associated with prolonged sitting. Issues like back pain, poor posture, and so forth.

The idea is that during long working sessions, you’ll periodically switch things up by standing, potentially burning more calories and reaping health benefits.

While some of these health benefits might be partially overblown—a topic I’ll discuss another time—that’s not the main point I’m tackling today. And truthfully, that’s not even my main issue with the hype around standing desks.

The Truth About Standing Desks

Let’s assume for the sake of argument that all the health benefits are 100% accurate. If you use it to stand while working, you’ll burn calories and gain all these health benefits.

Here’s the deal:

The truth is, when it comes to actually using a sit-to-stand desk, most people don’t change positions that much. I’ve seen comments on forums and even YouTube videos where actual users discuss how often they change.

Personally, I have a standing desk. I’ve had one for a couple of years now. It’s a motorized uplift desk (here’s the one I’m using).

Honestly, I don’t have many negative things to say about it. But functionally, when it comes to using the sit-stand feature, which works just fine, I hardly ever use the standing portion anymore.

Initially, for the first few weeks or maybe months, the novelty was exciting. But after those initial moments, I can tell you I hardly ever use the standing function.

In fact, my desk has a lock function—a really smart idea since I have little kids. This lock prevents them from pressing the button and potentially getting hurt. That lock function has been on for months, and I haven’t removed it, which should tell you how often I’m actually using the standing feature.

The Actual Value of a Sit-to-Stand Desk

Don’t get me wrong. If you’re one of the few people who will actually make use of the desk, and you know you’ll rotate between sitting and standing multiple times during long work sessions, there is some value in having a sit-to-stand desk.

But if you’re like most people, there’s one real value that makes a sit-to-stand desk worth it if you have the extra income: the ability to dial in the height of your desk while you’re sitting.

All too often, desk and chair heights are made for people of “average” height. If you’re not average height, you’re kind of out of luck. This is where height adjustment comes in. Regardless of whether your chair is adjustable, you can adjust the height of your desk to a position that’s comfortable for you while sitting, typing, and doing whatever you need to do.

That alone makes a height-adjustable desk worth it. I truly believe most people could do just fine with a crank or mechanical adjustment table. You only have to dial it in once to get the right height, and you’re probably not moving it up and down that much afterward. Plus, you get to save a whole lot of money.

So Is It Worth It?

So, do I think it’s worth it? Well, here’s the thing: if you have the disposable income, then yes, you could splurge on a standing desk.

And if you’re going to splurge, make sure you get a good quality standing desk from a reputable brand. Or, if you’re building your own standing desk by buying movable legs separately and picking up a tabletop from IKEA, Home Depot, or another hardware store, ensure you get good quality components.

But if you’re on a budget and have limited funds, should this be something that eats away at your savings? I’d say no.

Your first priority should be having a good computer or the appropriate tech setup to do your job well, which typically involves having a good laptop, the right MacBook, or the appropriate desktop PC. That’s your first priority.

After that, the next thing you should spend good money on, which I think is right up there after your tech setup, is something I’ll discuss in my next video.

It’s what I believe is the second most important thing to spend money on for your productivity or work-from-home setup. So, be sure to check that out!