The first time I came across standing desks was while interning at a renowned firm that had just invested in a bunch of them to boost employee productivity. As someone who was only getting started in the corporate world, I didn’t buy the idea. But only a few years down the line, after going through the rigor of working – two years from home – and being a student, I think having a standing desk is just as important as having a good chair.
Because evolution hasn’t quite caught up to our comparatively sedentary lifestyles, sitting for long periods of time can increase health risks of all sorts, from diabetes to tightening of muscles and joints. It’s not surprising why; we’re spending record hours sitting in front of screens to study, work, play, and do everything in between and the pandemic has only exacerbated this.
Tell me your legs haven't gone numb after a long sitting session in recent times. It’s important to break up these sessions with stretches and some time to roam around the house. An unfortunate effect of this is how difficult it makes concentrating for longer periods and this is right where standing desks help improve productivity. Instead of breaking my flow at work to make sure my legs don’t fall asleep, it gives me the freedom to continue working without taxing my body.
If you haven't experienced or owned a standing desk yet, I ask you to reconsider because this Kana Bamboo Pro desk from Flexispot has me sold.
It didn’t take me much time to unbox it; there are easy-to-follow instructions provided within the box. It comes with an Allen wrench to help screw the parts together. However, if you don’t have an electric drill, you’ll have to borrow or buy one because the desk doesn’t have any holes drilled in it.
Speaking of which, the desk is made of fine Bamboo wood that is pleasing to look at; it adds a certain finesse to my otherwise dull room. The surface is smooth (with just the right amount of friction) enough for me to not want a mousepad. If you’re into sketching or writing on paper, you might need a little extra padding, though. In over three months of use, the surface hasn’t retained any stains or noticeable scratches – kinda a major feat for a college student – and it seems like it’ll look just as clean for months to come.
The black frame provides a nice contrast, but there’s a white frame variant that's elegant too.
The cable management situation is a bit problematic out of the box, though. It pretty much reminds me of my messy, not-so-straightforward student life. There is no built-in mechanism to carry the wires that run along with the breadth of the table. My short-term fix was taping the wires to the table but the tape I used wasn’t good enough to hold things together for long. I guess I’ll have to make a trip to the hardware store to get some flex tape.
Cable management is not a forte of this table – there’s no bracket to hide the cables.
The motors powering this electric standing desk are powerful enough to take me on a slow joyride (all while remaining pretty quiet); it’s rated for loads up to 275lbs, so don’t worry. It’s pretty quick on its feet, moving up to 15 inches in 11 seconds. If you’ve ever used a standing desk (a fully stacked one) where you’ve had to manually crank the height every time, you know what a relief this is.
A small control panel allows you to control the height manually, or switch between four adjustable height presets. The panel also has a nifty USB port that can power small appliances and your smartphone – my watch charger has found a home.
One thing I’m not fond of is that there’s no storage by default. You can choose between third-party solutions or a couple of under desk storage solutions offered by Flexispot. You can even customize the size and shape of your desk, along with the option to add accessories like power strips and standing desk mats. If you want to go all out, there’s an under-desk treadmill, a fitness chair, and a vibration plate on sale too.
While you're at it, also get a good desk lamp to ensure optimal lighting at all times. The one I've got can change color temperature and also provides 15W wireless charging along with a USB port to charge wired accessories.
But even the way it is, without any accessories, the standing desk has most definitely brought an uptick to my productivity – just like these productivity apps can help too. Where otherwise I would take a stroll around the house, making me a potential victim to plenty of distractions around, I can now concentrate on completing the task at hand without feeling cramped or fidgety. The ability to adjust height also comes in handy when you’re doing different kinds of activities. For instance, you might want your desk slightly raised from the sitting position when you’re sketching or doing craftwork.
The freedom of getting to move around a bit despite being able to stay in the same place is a little underrated. And yes, it’s been a while since my legs have died.
I’m not trying to drill into you that you shouldn’t be taking breaks to free your muscles while working. But for those times when you need to stick to your desk for a little longer, a standing desk relieves the physical stress and makes concentrating just a little easier.
This particular desk isn’t the most affordable at $540, but it’s discounted often and is a sound investment that will pay off in good health, posture, and productivity. If your budget is a bit tight, you should search the market for a cheaper model (probably a manual one with a crank), but definitely consider getting one if you’re spending long hours at your desk.
In this world of ever-growing distractions, I think that anything that improves your concentration and productivity while preventing health complications is surely worth investing in.