How to Set Up a Tall-Friendly Adjustable Standup Workstation For About $400
Bonus: you can buy everything you need for it on Amazon.
If you’ve ever worked with someone who uses a standing workstation, you’re probably aware of the numerous benefits of upright working. After all, they probably never shut up about them.
Research has linked sitting for long periods with increased risk of health problems, including obesity, heart disease and metabolic syndrome—a medley of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.
But using a stand-up desk doesn’t automatically exempt you of all health risks. Because, if you’ve swapped your office chair out for a standing desk but you haven’t considered the proper office ergonomics of a standing workstation—such as the correct desk height and where to place your computer—you may just be trading one set of bad habits for another.
For instance, you may have decreased your risk of heart disease, but now you’ve left yourself vulnerable to chronic back pain and poor alignment. For tall people, proper ergonomics are of paramount importance. However, if you’re on the rangy side, and you’ve ever researched stand-up desks, you may have picked up on a trend.
46 inches. 48 inches. 48 inches. 46 inches.
Most stand-up desks—even adjustable ones—don’t extend beyond four feet tall. Of course, that’s problematic if you’re over 6’0,” as you may find yourself hunching over with your forearms flat on the desk just to get the screen eye-level. Remember: the top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level.
So how do you assemble a custom stand-up desk that’s height appropriate without breaking the bank?
Keep it simple.
Start with this SHW Adjustable Computer Desk, which goes for about $250. It’s well-constructed and the set-up’s pretty painless. It has a fully motorized lift, which adjusts from 28 to 46 inches in height. Again, that’s not quite enough, but fear not.
To add a little more height to your workstation, consider the VIVO Single Monitor Desk Mount. It’s lightweight, durable, and it’ll add well over two feet to your monitor height. For reference, I’m about 6’6,” and I didn’t even need to use all of the arm attachments that came with the unit. In fact, I’m confident that with all of the mount arm attachments installed, even Shaq could comfortably work at this stand-up desk—that’s right.
Finally, no workstation is complete without an HDMI-friendly monitor so you don’t have to squint to work from your puny laptop screen. You could go in one of many directions here, but I like the value offered by the Sceptre Curved 27” Monitor, also available on Amazon. It has a sharp, crisp display, and the curvature and sleek, edgeless design allow you to zero in on your work with minimal distractions. Bonus: the Blue Light Shift feature is a must if you have to work for hours on end but would rather avoid a post-work migraine from straining your eyes.
Add it all up and you have:
So there you have it—about $400 bucks for an adjustable standing workstation to level up your home office. Don’t hunch over a “stand-up desk” that’s just not ergonomically designed for you. There are ways to assemble an adjustable standing workstation that fits you, for less than you may have thought possible.
