Sitting by the computer the entire day takes its toll on people’s bodies. That’s why it’s important to take breaks, move around a little, or opt for a standing desk at times to mitigate the damage.

Redditor u/ElConaprole told the ‘Antiwork’ community that the latter is what their boss did. The OP went to see the new desk and listened to their superior say how good it was for one’s health. However, they quickly learned that it’s only the boss’s health that’s being taken into consideration. Scroll down to find the full story in the redditor’s own words.

Opting for a standing desk is a great way to mitigate the toll sitting takes on our bodies

Image credits: JakeSteam (not the actual photo)

This boss discussed the benefits of his standing desk but didn’t buy them for the rest of the employees

Image credits: Yan Krukau (not the actual photo)

Image credits: ElConaprole

Sitting for prolonged periods of time can be detrimental to people’s health

Thrive My Way pointed out that roughly 80% of jobs in the US are sitting-related. (It also revealed that the number of sedentary jobs rose by 83% since 1950.) With this much time spent seated, our bodies are bound to feel the consequences. According to Mayo Clinic, too much sitting can lead to serious health risks, such as increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, and detrimental cholesterol levels. It suggested that roughly an hour of physical activity a day can help counter the effects of long hours spent sitting.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that over 60% of US adults do not engage in sufficient amounts of physical activity. To make matters worse, a quarter of Americans are not active at all. However, these numbers can be altered, even if a person works a sedentary job.

Verywell Health presented some ways to fix a sedentary lifestyle, such as aiming to walk more, taking the stairs whenever possible, parking your car at the far end of the parking lot (that would allow you to raise the numbers on your step tracker), or ditching your car altogether. For those locked at work for most of the day, it suggested taking quick breaks every 20 minutes to move around or upgrading the workstation with a fitness ball seat, a treadmill desk, or a standing desk.

Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)

A standing desk might not be a new invention, but it’s a useful one nevertheless

Even though it is rapidly gaining popularity among office workers nowadays, a standing desk is in no way a new invention. The Stand Up Desk Store suggests its history can be traced to Da Vinci using a similar object back in the 1400—1500s. It’s believed that throughout the following hundreds of years, numerous renowned people have used it as well, including Napoléon Bonaparte, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, and Ernest Hemingway, among others.

Healthline described some benefits of choosing a standing desk instead of a regular one; for example, reduced back and neck pain and improved mood and energy levels. It also pointed out that working at an elevated desk can even boost one’s productivity and positively affect their life expectancy.

With all the advantages, the OP’s boss’s decision to buy such a desk doesn’t seem surprising at all. However, what was surprising for the redditor, was the fact that he was going to be the only one with such an arrangement, which is why some people in the comments even suggested leaving the workplace.

Image credits: LinkedIn Sales Navigator (not the actual photo)

People discussed the situation, the boss, and standing desks in the comments

Redditors also shared stories about selfish bosses

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