Life Hack

Go Big or Go Bust: An Inexpensive Life Hack for The Cyber Life Sitting Problem

In honor of Cyber Monday, I thought I'd share in tedious detail the pride and joy of my cyber life: a scavenger-hunt-style standing desk.

There are few downsides to having spent most of the past eight years sitting at my desk editing and getting-distracted-from-my-job-of-promoting The Louise Log. But one glaring downside is the time not spent on exercise or even movement. You've probably heard that 'sitting is the new smoking'. 

After listening to me hint about how much I’d like to be able to work at my computer while standing, Mr. Green made me this gorgeous standing desk for my studio.

But not everyone has Mr. Green in their life. And even I don't have the room for an extra desk in our NYC apartment. I needed something which would take up no space at all.

Here’s my solution: a deconstructible standing desk which, when you get tired of standing, can be taken apart in 12 seconds so you can sit down.

Here’s what you need:

We got this at Ikea in around 2000 to organize the clutter of pens and paper clips.  You could substitute any strong box of the right height. 

We got this at Ikea in around 2000 to organize the clutter of pens and paper clips.  You could substitute any strong box of the right height. 

The big ticket item at $40 - $50 -  the mStand Laptop Stand by Rain Design

The big ticket item at $40 - $50 -  the mStand Laptop Stand by Rain Design

Love the price of this component! And when not in use, it gets stowed under a shelf.

Love the price of this component! And when not in use, it gets stowed under a shelf.

White boards are available for a few dollars online or at the dollar store. There are two benefits to using a white board instead of the top of the cardboard box. 1) Being smooth and monochrome, it's a lot easier on the mouse 2) When you move from s…

White boards are available for a few dollars online or at the dollar store. There are two benefits to using a white board instead of the top of the cardboard box. 1) Being smooth and monochrome, it's a lot easier on the mouse 2) When you move from standing to sitting and back, the mouse, the keyboard, etc move in one fell swoop. 

... and voila!

... and voila!

I'd love to hear about your life hacks for life online ... please write them in the comments. Oh and, the best cyber treat of the day is awaiting you ... just click the Like button. Not kidding.