Standing up on the job

It is not new news that modern people are too sedentary. Lest we forget this fact, there are always new articles being published, like this one in The Independent, to remind us.

Sitting for most of your waking life can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and even diabetes. This is true whether or not exercise is a regular part of your life. The good news is that just 90 minutes per day on your feet can make a difference. Three hours can make a huge difference.

Also, you burn quite a lot of calories by just standing around. Who would have thought that standing around by the water cooler can be justified as an exercise program?

There are a few technological innovations that make standing up on the job a little easier. My favorite is the ergonomic UpDesk. These desks encompass the best of the standing and sitting worlds because they are customizable to different heights.

UpDesks are available in both electric and manual varieties. Although they'll set you back somewhere between $700 and $1000, that's not so bad when you consider that it's basically the difference between the price of a 64GB iPad and an entry-level MacBook Air.

To see the UpDesk in action, watch this YouTube video:

If you'd rather not spend so much, you can check out how YouTube do-it-yourselfers nilsandkatrina elevated a workstation for $28 by cobbling together a couple of Ikea desks: