So the prospects of working from home, sitting in one place all day for hours on end was NOT appealing to me. I started researching other options. I love researching things, because you get to learn something new and find ideas to improve your life. Thanks to Pinterest, I noticed the growing popularity of the standing desk. The idea appealed to me - you could take rests sitting of course, but most of the day was set up to allow you to stand. From there I did even more research (I was traveling the world and didn't have much else to do!), and found people who had taken it a step further by adding a treadmill! From then on, I read every positive and negative review/blog/comment I could about treadmill desks. One of the things I noticed most was how EXPENSIVE they were, but also how you could make your own (desk) if you were a little handy.
So when we arrived at our new home and our internet was finally turned on, I got working on my desk. I found a table that said it was adjustable to 3 heights and was listed under "standing tables" which was extremely affordable and ordered it. Unfortunately it was just a normal height and adjusted to be smaller, but I've managed to make it work. Then I started looking for a treadmill to use. You would think this would be the easy part because tons of people are trying to sell their treadmills, but actually most home treadmills are not made to last very long. This is because the makers know that you aren't actually going to use that treadmill you've bought. Some studies I read stated that many treadmills would burn out at around 100 miles! Office treadmills are made to be used continuously throughout the day for many years. Also, they have a max speed, so they are built to be walked on, not run on. At first I was quite discouraged, as most of the office treadmills I found costed upward of £1000! That's just too much money to spend at this time in our life. Then, I found one for under £300! My lovely Paul just told me to go ahead and get it, and a few days later it arrived on my doorstep. I couldn't wait to try it out, so I unwrapped it and hauled it up the stairs. It turned out one of the wires was missing and so I couldn't start walking on it yet, but I got in touch with the company and a few days later I was all set up.
(An evolution of my desk - first I was using my laptop on a cardboard box, then I got the riser, then I got the coffee table + riser and now it's perfect. It's not beautiful Pinterest perfect, but it works for me)
The first day I walked at 1mph, stood for one hour, and sat for one hour (then repeated). It felt good to be up and moving, but I decided to increase the speed. The next week I tried 1.5mph, and I could still work. Then I went up to 2mph. This felt like a comfortable pace, and by then I was walking 3 hours a day - so 6 miles during work! I never thought it distracted me, and in fact I focused better and was more alert while I was walking.
Next I decided to try 3mph, and I could still work without a problem. Finally I turned it up to the maximum speed - 4mph - and that was far too fast. I turned it down a notch and walked at 3.5 mph, which worked just fine. I could type, read, drink tea, and work.
So when we arrived at our new home and our internet was finally turned on, I got working on my desk. I found a table that said it was adjustable to 3 heights and was listed under "standing tables" which was extremely affordable and ordered it. Unfortunately it was just a normal height and adjusted to be smaller, but I've managed to make it work. Then I started looking for a treadmill to use. You would think this would be the easy part because tons of people are trying to sell their treadmills, but actually most home treadmills are not made to last very long. This is because the makers know that you aren't actually going to use that treadmill you've bought. Some studies I read stated that many treadmills would burn out at around 100 miles! Office treadmills are made to be used continuously throughout the day for many years. Also, they have a max speed, so they are built to be walked on, not run on. At first I was quite discouraged, as most of the office treadmills I found costed upward of £1000! That's just too much money to spend at this time in our life. Then, I found one for under £300! My lovely Paul just told me to go ahead and get it, and a few days later it arrived on my doorstep. I couldn't wait to try it out, so I unwrapped it and hauled it up the stairs. It turned out one of the wires was missing and so I couldn't start walking on it yet, but I got in touch with the company and a few days later I was all set up.
(An evolution of my desk - first I was using my laptop on a cardboard box, then I got the riser, then I got the coffee table + riser and now it's perfect. It's not beautiful Pinterest perfect, but it works for me)
The first day I walked at 1mph, stood for one hour, and sat for one hour (then repeated). It felt good to be up and moving, but I decided to increase the speed. The next week I tried 1.5mph, and I could still work. Then I went up to 2mph. This felt like a comfortable pace, and by then I was walking 3 hours a day - so 6 miles during work! I never thought it distracted me, and in fact I focused better and was more alert while I was walking.
Next I decided to try 3mph, and I could still work without a problem. Finally I turned it up to the maximum speed - 4mph - and that was far too fast. I turned it down a notch and walked at 3.5 mph, which worked just fine. I could type, read, drink tea, and work.
This past week I walked 3.5 miles a day for about 3 hours a day. I find if I walk anymore than that then I am too tired to go to the gym and give it my all in the evening. That means I'm walking about 10 miles a day ~ 50 miles a week! I think my work pace has improved and I feel much better through and through.
What do you need if you are going to use a treadmill desk?
- treadmill (best to buy one specifically for daily, constant use)
- desk and keyboard holder at the correct level (you can easily research this)
- comfy clothes and shoes (I walk barefoot or in vibrams)
- a smidgen of patience as you get used to the new routine
- slightly more space than a sitting desk
- a chair for those much needed breaks
What are the benefits I found while using a treadmill desk?
- more focused and productive during work time
- burning calories that I would have otherwise not - 250 an hour when walking at 3.5 mph!
- whole body benefits, including better digestion, better posture, less back/neck pain
- more energy!
Want to make a change? How can you make the treadmill desk work for you?
Before making the financial commitment to a treadmill desk, try standing for a bit first. Personally, I prefer walking to standing as it keeps the blood flowing, but it's a lot of investment if you aren't going to stick with it.
If you work from home it's just a matter of buying or making the desk, and then buying the treadmill. Then you need to take the time to adjust to walking, but not all the time. Remember it's just about being a more active person, not the milage that counts. You won't be able to walk all day, but any walking is better than none.
If you work in an office, I know it's a little more complicated. You might not have the space, it might be too noisy, you might not get the approval from your company. But I hope that this movement catches on a bit, as all this sitting is definitely not good for our health. If your work won't let you get a treadmill desk, you could still set one up at home to use while you browse the Internet, email, watch netflix, etc., which would also help you stay a bit more active outside of work.
Do you have a treadmill desk? What do you love about it?
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