This One Decision Changed the Way I Work as a Photographer
Image Credit: Jacob Ammentorp Lund via iStock
Okay, truth be told I've made a lot of decisions over the years that have changed how I work as a photographer.
Some of those decisions were, shall we say, not good...
But I'm happy to say that other decisions I've made along the way have improved my ability to get things done easier and faster.
This year marks a very important anniversary in my life - the anniversary of one such really good decision.
I'm not talking about my wedding anniversary, either (but that was a VERY good decision...).
Instead, it's been ten years since I started using an ergonomic desk in my office, and of all the choices I've made in my professional life, outfitting my office with an ergonomic desk is definitely at the top of my best-decisions-ever-made list.
Image Credit: DNY59 via iStock
As has been widely documented over the years, having an ergonomic or active desk has a multitude of health benefits.
Rather than sitting all day - which increases your risk of weight gain and diabetes - standing helps stave off fatigue, lower the risk of heart disease, reduce lower back pain, improve circulation in the lower extremities and even extend your lifespan.
I can attest to the fact that once I moved to an ergonomic desk, I found myself with much better energy, far less lower back pain, and improved cognition, too.
I don't sleep much, so if I'm sitting at my desk in the afternoon, I feel incredibly sluggish and tired. But once I switched to a standing desk, that afternoon slump was mitigated to a great degree.
The desk I bought ten years ago was a Workrite L-shaped sit-stand desk.
It has served me well over the last decade and has helped me be more productive (and comfortable) throughout the workday.
But I wanted to add another desk to my office to serve as my editing workstation, and this time, I wanted to try something new.
Don't get me wrong - my Workrite desk has been great (apart from the hours and hours it took to put it together). But things have changed in the active desk market over the last 10 years and there was something else I wanted to try.
So, about two months ago, I ordered an iMovR Lander desk.
Actually, I ordered it together with an iMovR ThermoTread GT office treadmill, making it a Lander Treadmill Desk System.
As far as being active while you work goes, adding the ability to walk slowly at your desk is the perfect complement to standing, and yes, even sitting--all at the same workstation. In the ideal regime you don’t spend too many time doing any one of those things, but rather switch it up every hour or two (it takes seconds to transition from sitting to standing to walking) for optimal health and productivity.
At typical desk walking speeds of 1 to 2 mph (cardio walking is 3.1 mph in comparison), and especially with the built-in SteadyType ergonomic keyboard tray option I ordered with my Lander desk, there is no measurable loss of typing proficiency, no sweating, just increased oxygen flow to the brain.
I found that it is easiest and best to start my day standing, then switch to walking after an hour or two, and then relax my legs and my core for an hour or two while sitting. Rinse and repeat.
On top of that, my knees feel so much better and no longer make those creaking sounds that started to happen once I hit my 40s...
What's so great about this desk is that it's loaded for bear with features.
For starters, there are hundreds of size and color combinations so you can customize how your desk looks to fit your personal aesthetic.
Secondly, I ordered my desk with iMovR's patented SteadyTypeⓇ keyboard tray (shown below), which offers a supremely stable base for my keyboard and an incredibly comfortable typing experience while I work.
My desk also has a control paddle that makes height adjustments a breeze. Speaking of a breeze, I can even raise or lower my desk via a smartphone app!
iMovR has also incorporated elements that make the desk a more active member of your health routine.
For example, my Lander desk has a built-in health coach that gives me reminders to change position throughout the day.
Anyone that knows me understands that I can get lost in my work, and before I know it I've been working for several hours straight without a break.
But with my new Lander desk, I'm reminded periodically to change positions, and my body feels so much better as a result. My home office is so much better now that I have this desk!
iMovR even offers a 100-day satisfaction guarantee, so if you pick one of these bad boys up and don't like it, no worries!
I'm here to tell you that you'll love it, though...
In fact, from moment one you'll be in love because these desks come 98-percent assembled. That means you can have it set up within a matter of minutes (it took me about 10 minutes) without the use of any tools.
On top of all that, consider this - iMovR offers a ten-year warranty on the base of the desk and a five-year warranty on the desktop.
That tells you something about the quality of the product and the American-built components they use to build these desks.
They are rock-solid, beautifully made right here in the U.S., and incredibly durable. My iMovR desk has become an integral component of my home office, and it will remain as such for years and years to come!
I know I'm gushing here, but there's good reason.
Those of us that have jobs that require tons of computer time know how difficult it is to sit all day long.
And while standing part of the day certainly helps, I cannot express how much of a difference having the option to walk while I work has made.
My iMovR desk is helping to keep me fit, stay on task, and think more clearly, especially as the day drags on, and it can do the same for you! Check out the options iMovR has for your office.