This Instructable documents the building of three treadmill desks, the motivation behind walking while you work at your computer or talk on the phone, and gives our anecdotal evidence for how and why this has worked for us. Walking around 1 MPH, as shown in the video, seems to pose no negative impact on typing, mousing, or talking and probably has positive impact on cognitive ability and general wellbeing through increased blood-flow, if nothing else. We certainly didn't evolve to sit in chairs all day long! On the rare occasion when walking is actually distracting, turn the treadmill off for a standing desk.
Building a treadmill desk is literally no harder than getting a used treadmill and mounting a shelf to a wall, and can be put together for under $150. Perhaps the hardest part is just deciding to do it and then getting used to how everyone will insist on taking a picture of you working and walking at your desk. Should you decide to build your own, the specifics will undoubtedly be different, but hopefully you'll be inspired by the desks shown here.
Building a treadmill desk is literally no harder than getting a used treadmill and mounting a shelf to a wall, and can be put together for under $150. Perhaps the hardest part is just deciding to do it and then getting used to how everyone will insist on taking a picture of you working and walking at your desk. Should you decide to build your own, the specifics will undoubtedly be different, but hopefully you'll be inspired by the desks shown here.
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Signing UpStep 1: Motivation for building a treadmill desk
Eric
Recently, I asked myself why I didn't have the energy to constantly work on projects and generally get things done. After coming home from work, I would cook dinner and read a book, but generally not accomplish much else. Except on days when I worked at home. Changing up my commute between biking, taking a train or bus, and driving seemed to have no affect, so I looked at how the conditions were different between home and the Instructables lab. Most notably, I worked at a standing desk at home, while I sat at the lab. The physical work was largely the same – working at a computer and talking on the phone – as was the environment in terms of natural light and noise level.
Around this same time, I heard John Ratey speak at conference. He's been studying how exercise – even low levels – strongly contributes to brain function in the elderly and attention and behavior in school children. The short of it is this: the more active you are, the better your health and brain function.
In a typical week, I was getting about an hour of biking, running, swimming, or, if I was lucky, kitesurfing, every day. However, I was also awake and sedentary for double digit hours everyday. So, I decided to take it up notch and start walking while I worked at my computer at the lab. If it did nothing for my health or energy levels, it would at least make the Instructables lab more eccentric, and that in itself was enough.
Sarah
I hate exercise in almost all forms. And it shows. So when I heard Eric talk about a treadmill desk, I knew that was for me! It's like exercise that you don't have to pay attention to. Plus I HATE sitting at a desk all day! Snooze-city.
What finally spurred me to action was that I hurt my back from sitting too much! No kidding! So I built myself a make-shift standing desk out of a milk crate and some coffee tins. Not so awesome. The treadmill seemed like a double-tasker. Standing desk + free exercise when I wanted it.
Also, I wanted Eric to think I was cool. And concerned about brain function and all that junk. So. You know. There's that. I think it worked.
Christy
I've tried a standing desk before, and while it's certainly nice as a change of pace I found standing still while working was hard, harder than sitting at a desk. Within 20-30 minutes I would catch myself slumping in all sorts of new and damaging ways, then my feet would get weird numb spots, and eventually I'd head back to my chair. It seemed to work for Eric, but he's an alien robot.
Then Eric got excited about a treadmill desk. I gave him a week to test it out, then tried it myself. This turns out to suck far less than a stationary desk of either type, and is in fact pleasant, because you're moving. I'm perfectly capable of strolling at 1mph for days at a time, much better than 20 minutes standing. I don't count strolling at 1mph exercise, but simply movement; it's more about not spending my day slumped over, melting into an office chair.
My additional quirk is that I need to feed Corvidae while working. She fits nicely in her sling, but walking with her hanging in front of me for an hour just doesn't work - she's too heavy, and I need to give her a bit of head support. The solution turns out to be a tall chair of the drafting stool variety, with a small enough base to fit on the treadmill. I sit for that time period, taking most of her weight on my legs (feet on the chair ring) and support her head with a pillow or my elbow on the arm of the chair. When she's awake again, the chair gets kicked off the treadmill, and the baby goes back on the floor or on my back as I walk.
Recently, I asked myself why I didn't have the energy to constantly work on projects and generally get things done. After coming home from work, I would cook dinner and read a book, but generally not accomplish much else. Except on days when I worked at home. Changing up my commute between biking, taking a train or bus, and driving seemed to have no affect, so I looked at how the conditions were different between home and the Instructables lab. Most notably, I worked at a standing desk at home, while I sat at the lab. The physical work was largely the same – working at a computer and talking on the phone – as was the environment in terms of natural light and noise level.
Around this same time, I heard John Ratey speak at conference. He's been studying how exercise – even low levels – strongly contributes to brain function in the elderly and attention and behavior in school children. The short of it is this: the more active you are, the better your health and brain function.
In a typical week, I was getting about an hour of biking, running, swimming, or, if I was lucky, kitesurfing, every day. However, I was also awake and sedentary for double digit hours everyday. So, I decided to take it up notch and start walking while I worked at my computer at the lab. If it did nothing for my health or energy levels, it would at least make the Instructables lab more eccentric, and that in itself was enough.
Sarah
I hate exercise in almost all forms. And it shows. So when I heard Eric talk about a treadmill desk, I knew that was for me! It's like exercise that you don't have to pay attention to. Plus I HATE sitting at a desk all day! Snooze-city.
What finally spurred me to action was that I hurt my back from sitting too much! No kidding! So I built myself a make-shift standing desk out of a milk crate and some coffee tins. Not so awesome. The treadmill seemed like a double-tasker. Standing desk + free exercise when I wanted it.
Also, I wanted Eric to think I was cool. And concerned about brain function and all that junk. So. You know. There's that. I think it worked.
Christy
I've tried a standing desk before, and while it's certainly nice as a change of pace I found standing still while working was hard, harder than sitting at a desk. Within 20-30 minutes I would catch myself slumping in all sorts of new and damaging ways, then my feet would get weird numb spots, and eventually I'd head back to my chair. It seemed to work for Eric, but he's an alien robot.
Then Eric got excited about a treadmill desk. I gave him a week to test it out, then tried it myself. This turns out to suck far less than a stationary desk of either type, and is in fact pleasant, because you're moving. I'm perfectly capable of strolling at 1mph for days at a time, much better than 20 minutes standing. I don't count strolling at 1mph exercise, but simply movement; it's more about not spending my day slumped over, melting into an office chair.
My additional quirk is that I need to feed Corvidae while working. She fits nicely in her sling, but walking with her hanging in front of me for an hour just doesn't work - she's too heavy, and I need to give her a bit of head support. The solution turns out to be a tall chair of the drafting stool variety, with a small enough base to fit on the treadmill. I sit for that time period, taking most of her weight on my legs (feet on the chair ring) and support her head with a pillow or my elbow on the arm of the chair. When she's awake again, the chair gets kicked off the treadmill, and the baby goes back on the floor or on my back as I walk.
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I didn't document the procedure; maybe next time. Otherwise, this has been well worth the time invested. I definitely felt a lot better after a day of slow walking. Takes some time to adjust to the constant motion, but I am mindful of a heightened awareness toward posture and coordination. Also, it seems as if both walking and working becomes simpler, more streamlined and efficient, perhaps due to the need not to waste "brain Hz" in order to accomplish both tasks simultaneously.
Thanks for using instructables!
http://www.instructables.com/community/June-is-I-Made-It-Challenge-Month-Win-a-Pro-Mem
I have been considering a tread desk for a few weeks now - since I read this: Your office chair is killing you
Bit scary and sad to think that chair manufacturers design to what is popular, rather than what is good for us...
I saw your treadmill in the newsletter and finally got around to reading it today.
I was so inspired I almost went out and welded a base for my existing desk.. but need to find a treadmill to work out the height first ;)
My initial concerns were that the walking motion would generate a bit of flexion in the floorboards and cause the monitors to jiggle (they do if you bump the desk). I like your suspension from the roof option to prevent this! ;)
I also assume the slow speed keeps it to a minimum anyway?
I wonder how long it will be before shorter-stride-length treadmills are made for walking only? It'd be nice if they were half the length and you could tuck them up if you felt like just standing (though it doesn't sound like that would be the case once you were used to it!).
Looking at the video it seems we don't need the full length if walking slowly..
Keep up the good work ;)
Is there an instructable in the works? I'm wondering if you just dis-engaged the motors from a regular treadmill, or if you have a lighter-weight solution?
Just a question or two: "Corvidae"? As in ravens, crows etc? Cool name: how did you decide on that?
Thanks for this project, i mean instructables in general, we (my family) send you the best wishes for 2011 i hope peace(full) for every instructables users. The creativity and share is the future :-)
WalkerDeskRanger.com
My goal is to lose 80 pounds!
I don't mean to ignore the fact that this is a nice concept and you did a great job of documenting it, but little Corvidae is about the cutest thing out there. She seems to like the video camera!!
Cheers
I'm over 300#, so using a treadmill tends to cause deflection in the old, pine joists of our home. With a mind to have a very stable keyboard shelf, I put my treadmill in the nearest corner. The keyboard shelf is supported over and across where the emergency grab-bars attach to the user interface console at a comfortable height, held up place with a triangular brace made of 2x3 pine, glued and screwed with bird-mouth notches, and fastened to the two walls intersecting at that corner with (4) 3/16" dia. toggle bolts (right side), and a ledger board.
Eventually, there will be an accident that results in instinctive grabbing at the leading edge of the shelf for support. The shelf and it's parts can't be loose-laid for that reason, and the connections need to be strong enough to support the occupant until they can regain their footing.