Treadmill Desks - Get a Workstation Workout

Treadmill desks or “walk stations” were built with the average office worker mind. Next to the consumption of unhealthy foods, sedentary lifestyles are to blame for the growing problem of obesity and heart disease. The tread desk makes it possible to get in a walking workout while busy on the computer. Companies and corporations are buying up treadmill workstations in an effort to curb health insurance costs. Employers and employees alike are reporting lower health care costs, weight loss, and an increase in productivity.

When I first heard of the treadmill desk, I thought the idea was a bit crazy. How could a person possibly concentrate on computer work while walking? Well, it must work, because according to reviews and studies, most workers who use it experience an increase in energy and productivity. I suspect the increase is most evident in workers who have a “kinesthetic” learning style – that is, those who learn and think best while doing something active. Of course, I’m not a scientist, but as a kinesthetic learner/producer, I can see how walking on a treadmill while working may boost my productivity.

Okay. This is a no-brainer. When you are active, you burn more calories. Still, when most people exercise, they do so for half an hour to an hour at a time. When walking is incorporated with working, the pace is a bit slower, but most walk longer. If you are capable of walking 7 to 8 hours a day on your tread desk, there is no reason why you shouldn’t. However, the Mayo Clinic reports that walking at the typical “walk and work” pace for two to three hours a day can help a person lose as much as 66 pounds. Employers love it because of the drop in obesity-related health problems. Employees love it because they are not only losing weight at work, they are feeling better and updating their wardrobes.

Treadmill tread desks cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. On the low end, the treadmill desk is comparable to the average cost of a treadmill.

If you have a home office, a treadmill, and a talent for DIY projects, you can make your own treadmill desk without spending a lot of money. (See Resource Links)

Just Move

As I mentioned before, I am a kinesthetic learner and producer. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I circled around my driveway at home when trying to memorize large amounts of information. My friend’s daughter used to stand on her head while reciting her multiplication tables and hit a tether ball while practicing her spelling words. Kinesthetic-types are everywhere. Do you do your best work while moving?

Obviously, if your job involves sitting at a desk, then pacing in circles, standing on your head, and hitting balls just isn’t going to work for you. If you cannot incorporate a treadmill desk, try to be active for a few minutes every hour. I have found that taking a brisk, five to ten minute walk every hour helps me get more done in that hour than I normally do when I work for 60 minutes straight.