As a freelance writer, working from home isn’t new to me. What is new, however, is having both my work-from-home husband and remote-learning son working and studying alongside me. We don’t live in a big place, so figuring out how to set up our work areas in a way that’s comfortable to all peacefully coexist has been this year’s biggest rethink.
My son’s computer is set up in his bedroom, and our shared office space is just outside of his. Really, it’s more like a designated end-of-hallway alcove than a luxurious studio office, but, hey it works. My husband’s desk is butted up against mine, and we have a Bluetooth-enabled printer accessible from any computer or mobile device. And a dog, who has taken up housing by my feet in the empty space beneath my traditional office desk.
I must admit, there is something charming about working side by side with my new office-mate hubby. Just as one would do in a normal office setting, we chime in on occasion to interrupt each other’s trains of thought with random news flashes and quippy commentary. “I’m trying to work, here,” one of us will occasionally blurt out. And sometimes, for a change of scenery or when we need more solitude, one of us will fold up our laptop and relocate to a new area of the house for newfound inspiration. The pickings are slim, though, in our tiny townhouse. There’s the kitchen area (beware of snacks), the dining room (best background for Zoom calls,) and the bedroom for pure solitude—and that’s it. Regardless, of room, I always take with me my new, can’t-live-without-it work accessory—my mobilized standing desk.
Awhile back, I was working on an article about the benefits of exercise and learned that sitting too long can literally take years off of your life. If you sit for six hours or more a day, your risk of dying early jumps by 19 percent, according to a study done by the American Cancer Society. And if you want to know how, I will save that for my next article, but you can start by reading here.
Not long ago, I recommended a high-end standing desk in my Father’s Day gift idea post here. While I didn’t have the space at home for the desk I secretly coveted, I decided I did have room in my bedroom, and in my budget, for what I now call my “Spicy” desk. Why is it spicy? When I use it, I feel like I’m in that Saturday Night Live opener where Melissa McCarthy spoofs Sean Spicer at the podium and begins rolling through a sea of journalists. It still cracks me up. That’s how I feel when I make my way through the rooms of my house.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was up for a standing desk when I finally ordered one, no pun intended. I was afraid it would be yet another purchase quickly set out to pasture. I have to admit, it did feel a little unusual at first standing up and typing, but then I noticed my body adjust into a posture that was pretty comfortable and stable with my feet slightly shoulder-length apart. The desk also adjusts up and down, so you can roll it up beside the bed or a chair, which sort of defeats the purpose—but it’s a nice feature to have. I’m slightly surprised to admit my standing desk has been one of the best purchases I’ve spent for both my mental and physical health.
Let me know what you think and if you’re up for a standing desk, too.
