My new my Autonomous standing desk is a game-changer. Sitting is the new smoking. I realized that I was sitting down for at least 5 hours a day! That’s way too much. Our bodies are designed to move…all day long. It’s no surprise that at the end of a long day I used to feel creaky and tight -especially in my psoas muscles. Moreover, I had an old chunky desk, and an awful chair, which wasn’t doing my back any favors.
As luck would have it, just as I was reimagining my office, I received an email from a company called Autonomous.ai, asking if I would like to test out their SmartDesk 2 standing desk. I’d never considered a sit/stand desk before, and the more I thought about it, the more sense it made.
I’ve been wanting to get rid of all the old, dark wood that has followed me over the years. I hate throwing things away. I wrote 4 books on my old “beast” of a desk. But, I want white now, and I want light! I want to go minimalist. I want to be more organized and streamlined. Yep…I have a vision. And this vision has been fueled by the gorgeous Instagram images of white minimalism, overflowing with green houseplants (hello Jungalow!).
Instagram and Pinterest #OfficeGoals aside, the most important part of my vision is functionality. And this starts with my body. How does my body function when I spend many hours on my computer? Not very well. I think of my mentor, Dr. Greger, who spends hours of everyday researching and doing interviews. He understands that his life will be cut short if he doesn’t spend a large percentage of those hours MOVING, so he does a ton of his work on a treadmill. He literally has his computer hooked up to his treadmill. When I interview him, he bobs up and down! But, since it’s not practical for me to have a giant treadmill in my office, the next best thing is a standing desk.
So, I accepting the generous gift of a brand new Autonomous.ai SmartDesk 2. And I couldn’t be happier.
The Autonomous.ai SmartDesk 2 arrived in 2 heavy flat packages. I did need some help from my a tech-savvy friend to assemble it…truth be told, there is no way I could have done it on my own. But, together, and it took us a couple of hours to get it fully assembled. It works beautifully. I’m now into my new sit/stand groove!
Being a health coach, I remind my clients about posture on a daily basis. Good posture affects your brain chemistry, which means that it can affect your productivity, focus, and confidence. It’s easy to do a posture check when you’re standing, but really hard when sitting. This is because the default when we sit is to slump. Slumping is not good for feelings of stress, negativity, and anxiety. If you’re in any doubt about that, stand up now, bring your shoulders back, lift the nape of your neck, and see how different you feel.
My Autonomous.ai standing desk is a game changer!!! I work for at least 8 hours a day. I used to be hunched over my computer. Not any more. Now I spend most of my time standing, and when I tire, I simply press a button, and the desk glides down to where I need it for a comfortable seated posture.
Having a standing desk makes me aware and mindful throughout the day. After 30 years of sitting down to work, the change has literally created new neurons in my brain. It’ makes me think differently. I’ve become more efficient and productive. And honestly, it makes me want to exercise more. I think it’s because I’m already standing. The idea of stepping outside for a quick rebounder session or power walk comes more naturally when you don’t need to haul your body off the chair.
The other reason why my standing desk is a game-changer is that I no longer overwork. When I’m sitting hunched over my computer (or a phone), it goes into a rabbit hole. 3 hours can pass without me noticing. It’s scary because, after just one hour of work, my mind begins to tire. But when I’m sitting, I don’t notice it. If, however, I’m standing at my desk, my body tells me when to move away from the computer, and take a break. My body intuitively tells me that I need to walk around, take a break, have a change of scene. This is the most profound change I’ve noticed since I’ve switched to a standing desk.
The other benefit of a standing desk is that after eating, your blood sugar levels return to normal faster than if you were sitting. Since most people nowadays eat their lunch at their desk and don’t move for the rest of the afternoon, it’s a big concern. As a health and holistic weight loss coach, I insist my clients move around as much as possible. Studies now show that standing and moving around within 30 minutes of a meal can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
My Autonomous.ai standing desk is a game-changer for sure. And, now that many of us are working from home (and sitting on Zoom all day), it behooves us to reconsider the sedentary lifestyle thing!
Check out more of my reviews here!
