How working professionals find comfort with stand and work technique amid COVID-19

Express News Service

BENGALURU: When Ritesh R, owner of an online and offline distribution company, heard about the concept of standing and working from his friend, he got rid of all the chairs in his office cabin and ordered a portable standing desk. From taking stock of the inventories to attending online meetings, Ritesh prefers to stand and execute his work.

“For the first few days of standing and working, I suffered lower back pain. However, I understood that my muscles are adjusting to the new working position. After getting used to this, I hardly sit. I can stand and work for four hours in one stretch. Eventually, I feel I have worked out,” says Ritesh who also encourages his employees to adopt the stand and work model.

Thanks to the pandemic and work from home culture, working professionals are now dealing with unconventional working patterns to keep themselves healthy and active. 

Although this concept is not completely new, the pandemic has made it a mainstream one. Interior designers and architects in the city are setting up standing workstations for their clients as part of the larger interior specs.

Meghana Dutta, founder of Studio Decode, an architecture and interior designing company, has signed up with five clients in the last two years to set up standing desks at their office. “These days companies are planning for a workstation that is sustainable and healthy at the same time,” says Dutta.

“The need for standing desks has amplified after the work from home culture kicked in. These desks are adjustable, depending on the height the user wants. Companies are opting for standing workstations as it helps them enhance work productivity,” she adds.

Meanwhile, some have adopted a sustainable model by just buying a portable and foldable desk — they keep a stand to support the laptop. Architect Shilpa Spoorthy adopted the stand and work model as part of her weight-loss journey.

“My husband and I following one meal a day model as part of our weight loss mission and standing and working is one of the aspects contributing to that. From attending zoom meetings to designing models, I prefer this model of working. It was initially difficult to adapt to this style, but now I feel more comfortable and active. I also ensure I walk while I am on calls,” says Spoorthy, who has been practising this for over 10 months now.

She also adds that standing and working for 30 minutes is equal to burning 60 per cent of calories that you burn after a 30-minute walk. With meetings becoming more intimate and focussed in nature, Richard Pattle, co-founder and CEO of True Beacon (sister company of Zerodha), believes that a standing workstation is an optimal option.

“We will be launching our office next month and we are going to have a highly tech-enabled and mobile desk. I am a big fan of standing and working and I can easily work for five hours during my work schedule. I think keeping yourself on the move is more effective than staying static in a place. Sitting for long can be demoralising too,” says Pattle. 

Pros 

Cons

• Excessive standing can lead to varicose in veins

• Leads to leg pain and swelling

• Operating in odd positions can lead to chronic pain