Are you considering an upgrade in your workstation? Whether it’s a home office or a regular office, one of the best things you can do to transform your space into one that is conducive to your health and well-being, and one that will help increase your productivity and improve your work performance, is to design the space with ergonomics in mind. Consider getting a standing desk or a desk treadmill to make your workspace work better for you.

Ergonomics is all about adjusting your space so that it fits your needs better. In most of today’s workplaces, ergonomics plays a huge role in addressing the problem concerning people’s sedentary lifestyles. And to successfully do that, innovations such as the desk treadmill have become a key element in many of the offices today.

A desk treadmill is helpful in encouraging individuals to get up from their chair, break the habit of prolonged sitting, and substitute sitting with walking—in the same way a standing desk is designed to do the same, except the alternative activity is standing. With a well-balanced sitting, standing, and walking routine in your workday, it’s easy to break free from your sedentary lifestyle and to enjoy benefits in productivity and well-being.

How does a desk treadmill improve productivity?

While the most immediate benefits of a treadmill have to do with physical health, studies have revealed a pleasantly surprising finding that many people who walk on a treadmill while working have actually experienced an increase in work productivity and performance. This comes in many different forms, from an improvement in memory to an increase in creativity.

This is primarily attributed to the increase of the level of oxygen flow to the brain whenever you move more. This supercharges the brain and allows it to function at an optimal level.

Increased Focus and Alertness

If you feel drowsy or suffer from mid-afternoon slump, you can combat this by increasing your physical activity in the office. Some users report that light physical activity helps boost their focus and alertness, and walking on a desk treadmill is one effective way to achieve that.

Enhanced Creativity

Moving more stimulates the flow of blood to the brain, and anecdotal evidence suggests that this can improve creativity. If your work involves a high need for innovative and creative thinking, walking on a desk treadmill while you work can help you summon new and fresh ideas, increasing the quality of your output and your overall productivity in the office.

Improved Time Management

Desk treadmill use encourages individuals to segment their tasks between those that are best done while walking and those that need to be done sitting. Because of this practice, some users find that they are more conscious of time when using a treadmill at work. They learn to balance their work tasks well and improve their time management skills. In the long run, this helps them make the most use of their time and increase their productivity.

Reduced Stress

Movement has been proven to be capable of reducing stress levels because they slow down the release of the stress hormone, cortisol. This hormone is released in the body to trigger the fight or flight response, a naturally built-in alarm system. While it is helpful in handling certain situations, a steady flow of cortisol can wreak havoc in the body, causing fatigue, bad mood, and other long-term health conditions. This can lower an individual’s productivity over time.

In highly stressful environments like the workplace, cortisol levels can be high, and one effective way to control them is to move more. The use of a desk treadmill is helpful when it comes to this. Regular movement can keep cortisol levels in check, allowing an individual to work better and stay productive.

Better Mood

Physical activity also releases endorphins, the happy hormones. They are known to improve a person’s overall mood, which is crucial in an individual’s day-to-day work. A happier and more positive mindset can potentially translate into increased productivity and can affect a person’s overall work satisfaction. After all, happier employees translate to a happier workplace and more productive individuals.

For more, check out this article about desk treadmill impact on productivity.

How does a desk treadmill improve well-being?

Well-being pertains to a person’s overall state, not only his health but also his happiness. The use of ergonomic furniture in the workplace, including the desk treadmill, has always been linked to an improvement in the well-being of every employee and worker.

Much of this has to do with the way ergonomic furniture encourages users to move more, which is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy body. The use of a desk treadmill affects both a person’s blood and oxygen circulation, the health of the muscles and joints in his body, and his weight, among others. Check out the complete benefits below.

Improved Overall Physical Health

By promoting physical activity, a desk treadmill keeps a person healthier and free from various illnesses. Prolonged sitting is associated with various health risks, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal issues. Moving more with the use of a desk treadmill can mitigate these risks and improve a person’s health and well-being.

Posture Improvement

Sedentary habits increase a person’s likelihood of developing poor posture, and this is often the primary culprit behind various musculoskeletal diseases. Poor posture damages muscles, bones, and joints in the body, especially the spine, and this is often the cause of back pain in the workplace, which can then lead to poor productivity and absences from work. Over time, this can also result in debilitating diseases.

Walking or lightly jogging on a desk treadmill encourages users to maintain better posture and to correct any posture problem, reducing the risk of developing musculoskeletal conditions and improving the overall well-being of the person.

Increased Energy Levels

This seems contrary to the usual effect of physical activity to the body, which is fatigue, but consistent physical activity actually creates positive physical change that can lead to increased energy levels in the long run:

• It improves the strength of the muscles, allowing the body to get used to increased physical activity
• It causes an increase in heart rate and stimulates the release of endorphin, which also increases energy levels

Walking on a desk treadmill can actually help you combat feelings of fatigue and lethargy, helping you stay awake and alert and improving your productivity and overall well-being.

Healthier Weight

The regular use of a desk treadmill can help your burn additional calories—up to 7-8% more calories per day. So if you’re calorie counting, doing regular exercise, and trying to maintain a healthy weight, using a treadmill can add to all of those efforts and contribute to managing your weight better and potentially reducing the risk of obesity and all the health conditions associated with it.

Long-Term Health Benefits

Using a desk treadmill and doing regular physical activity in your workday can have long-term health benefits that will affect other areas of your life.

For one, it can potentially help you improve and extend your career by keeping your productivity up and reducing absences caused by chronic health conditions associated with a sedentary lifestyle. It will also keep your body healthy enough to enjoy all the other activities you want to do outside of work together with family and friends, helping you live a well-balanced life. Lastly, this can improve your overall health and well-being, allowing you to enjoy time spent with loved ones and to improve your relationships.

If you want to know more about the effects of desk treadmill use to productivity and well-being, there have been several studies made that show the benefits of this ergonomic furniture in the workplace.

How to Make a Desk Treadmill Work for You

While the use of a treadmill at work has proven benefits to your health, there are things you need to remember to ensure that the habit will be sustainable and that you can maximize its use—get the most for both your health (stay in top physical condition) and productivity (get more work done), as well as your overall well-being.

Check out these three reminders in the use of a desk treadmill at work:

Alternate between sitting, standing, and walking

You don’t want to overdo sitting, but you don’t want to overdo standing and walking, too—this can lead to fatigue and easily discourage you from continuing the habit. Instead, find the right balance that works for you. Start with short sessions, and then increase your standing and walking time as your body learns to adapt to the increased activity.

Match the right tasks with treadmill use

The people who are most successful in the use of a desk treadmill have reported task matching as one of the secrets to their success in developing the habit of walking while working. Light work activities such as checking emails and talking on the phone can be a perfect opportunity to simultaneously do while walking on the treadmill. Meanwhile, if you need to work on complicated tasks, you may reserve those for sitting. This is the best way to maximize your time and improve both your health and work productivity.

Stay physically healthy outside of work

Remember that walking on a treadmill at work is not a substitute to exercise. Make time to still do regular exercise and moderate to heavy workout outside of work. The use of a desk treadmill is helpful in improving both your health and productivity, but it won’t give you the right amount of movement you need if this is your only form of daily exercise. The best way to do it is to allot time for exercise, walk on a treadmill at work, and find other ways to increase your daily movement.

With all of these combined, you can be sure to maximize all the benefits of a desk treadmill. Good luck and stay healthy!

About Us

MotionGrey is a Canadian standing desk company that specializes in ergonomic furniture. We supply and install only the best quality standing desks and ergonomic chairs in the country. We offer free shipping within Canada and the US.

What made you switch to standing desks? Our products are designed with wellness as the focal point. From our electric standing desks to our office and gaming chairs, we deliver best value by putting your health, safety, and comfort as top priority. Boost your creativity and level up work performance. We want you to create great outcomes so we’re providing you only the best tools to make them possible.

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, check out our Refund Policy.