I walk. I work. I stay more alert. I feel better at the end of the day. Research supports this.
Plenty of other people dig the idea it seems. The rising term is “Treadmill Desk.” Units go for about $4,000 but I hacked mine together for about $400. Why? I was finding ways to simply get up from my desk to take a walk. I’d do stuff like park in the last parking space farthest out from the building. I just personally feel better when I get some physical activity in. Being that I suspended my martial arts training and regular workouts (school!), I wasn’t feeling the best. And I’ve wanted to get/make a treadmill desk for awhile now. So I did. Thankfully my Director supports me modding my workspace.
1. “James Levine, M.D. and his colleagues in the NEAT (Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis) lab at Mayo Clinic have pioneered an “Office of the Future” — a fully functioning office that bears a marked resemblance to a gym. Complete with treadmills that serve as both desks and computer platforms and a two-lane walking track that serves as a meeting room, Dr. Levine and his entire staff have a unique, active work environment.”
2. “Between eight and fourteen hours on the average workday, I’m staring at a screen and typing on a keyboard. … Rather than sitting, you walk at a slow pace. Because the human body has evolved to walk long distances, a healthy person can comfortably walk several miles a day. After just a few days, I was consistently walking about 6 or 7 hours a day. It’s been about a month now, and I’ve used the treadmill desk every day I’ve worked from home.”
Maybe I can guilt Casey into walking at work again? That’s a pretty sweet set-up.
Music clip credits: Radiohead, High and Dry.
Lee LeBlanc
~TTW Contributor~
I asked for one of these in my interview for my present job. Haven’t got one yet, though. :-\
Please join our community of treadmill desk users at http://officewalkers.ning.com.
Keep hope alive Melissa!
(I bought mine.)
And thanks Brad -joined.
Glad you’re walking at work. I’d be interested in hearing how your treadmill stands up over time, as one reason I’ve fallen off the wagon is that mine doesn’t operate at slow speeds anymore. Though it just now occurs to me that I might be able to lubricate the area under the tread — now I must find spray teflon….
Ok that’s it! I’ve decided if I can’t have a treadmill here, I’m going to have desk surface raised. Just called in the work order…thanks for the motivation!
Sure will Casey!
You tell ‘em Melissa! I’m going to have to really mod my workspace over the holidays to make this long term.
Thanks for posting the video. It’s great! I think I’ll bring this up at the next departmental meeting and see if we can’t implement treadmill desks at my work.
The video is wonderful
I have chronic back problems which my chiropractor attributes to sitting at work all day. Imagine the savings to our healthcare system if office workers were allowed to work like this — decreases in obesity, heart disease, diabetes, not to mention a great way to manage stress. We’d eventually even see insurance premiums go down. Glad to see library workers on board with this!
As a physiotheraperaist down under studying a post grad diploma in info and library studies, I think this is impressive. I’m sending this link to all my physio friends. Please keep us up to dateon how this plays out. Can we put these in our libraries?
@Lori -I can’t recommend this enough. The set-up is key though. And a healthy dose of cliff-jumping because it’s a big change.
@Jeanette- Sure will! Drop in from time to time and ask me how this works long term.
Treadmill desks are here to stay and many people are using them. I have the TrekDesk at http://www.trekdesk.com to be the most affordable option out there.