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Why I Ditched My Standing Desk

by Mike Vardy


I’m sitting a lot more these days.1

I did run with an Ikea Jerker desk as a standing desk for a long time — pretty much until the end of last year. But ever since my wife picked me up a Levenger lap desk for Christmas (thanks also to Patrick Rhone for the nudge), I’ve loved my new setup – which is now my primary setup.

My primary setup consists of:

  • A free armchair I picked up on UsedVictoria
  • Said Levenger lap desk
  • An older Z-line Piedmont side table/file cabinet from Staples
  • This Ikea lamp

This new setup allows me to work in a much larger – and more pleasant – space than before without making this space look too much like an office, which it isn’t.

Because it’s the master bedroom in our house.

Until Valden is built, this is where I work every Sunday through Thursday. I still have another setup that I have for when I do want to stand while I work (ideal for podcasts or to break the endless pattern of sitting), but this trusty chair and lap desk are where I get most of my writing done.

And when I do move into Valden, this setup will move with me. At that time I’ll likely offload the other setup to my daughter so she has a desk to call her own, which will also allow me to turn the master bedroom back into just that – and that alone.

I’m all for standing desks, but there are times (like today) where sitting is the best way to work. I do my best thinking while sitting (unless you count the shower, which isn’t conducive to my line of work as a regular workspace), and this chair is the best chair I’ve ever owned for that purpose. We’ve even come to call it “The Thinking Chair” in honour of what I do in it – and to Blue’s Clues, which is a show that my son Colton absolutely loves.2

I do believe that working at a standing desk is great, but as has been said on countless other weblogs…everything in moderation. A good combination of a standing and sitting working environment does the trick for me. Figuring out what will do the trick for you is the part that’ll require some thinking.

Oh, and I recommend you get a chair for that.

1Those of you who know me better than others know why this post is appropriate for today more than any other day.
2And “The Writing Chair” doesn’t really work for both purposes.

About Mike Vardy

Mike Vardy is a writer, speaker, productivity strategist, and founder of Productivityist. He is the author of The Front Nine: How to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want and The Productivityist Playbook.

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