You know what charm is: a way of getting the answer 'yes' without having asked any clear question.

Bigmouth strikes again. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, Brighton. May 2012.

Theme Thursday already?

Every now and again I think that it becomes clear that it is time for A NEW BEGINNING.

‘A NEW BEGINNING?’ you ask. ‘A NEW BEGINNING!’ I say.

For me, this A NEW BEGINNING is at the same time breathtakingly simple yet utterly revolutionary.

As of yesterday I have reconfigured my workstation to one in which standing has become the default option. That is, my computer set up has the monitor at standing eye level and the keyboard at around elbow height. I’ve got the desk configured in such a way that I have the opportunity to sit down if so desired. The fact that I am also working on a laptop makes it relatively easy to do computer work seated too.

My typical workday starts at 8 am, after a walk to the bus stop, a bus into the city and then a twenty-minute walk into the office. I normally try to leave by 4:15 pm, but occasionally that time is pushed out. A fair whack of that time sees me bolted to a computer or telephone, with intermittent meetings out and about (I’m usually able to walk to most of these). Most of the meetings that I attend (some interminably long) see me sitting down.

The point is: having a standing desk won't mean standing for 8 hours a day straight.

So why A NEW BEGINNING?

I have a number of reasons. When I am sitting at my desk, even with a fancy-pants ergonomic chair, I have a tendency to slump, with my back curved and shoulders forward, which closes my chest and makes my breathing more shallow. When standing my shoulders go back, which straightens the spine and opens up my chest. The hope is that it will help with my posture.

Secondly, we burn fewer calories when we’re sitting. In fact, extended sitting sessions change our body’s metabolism.

This, and a host of other studies seem to confirm an increasing evidence base to suggest that there’s a “physiology of inactivity”.

Thus, a more sedentary set up seems to drive the fact that sitting workers crash reasonably hard around mid-afternoon. For me, 2:30 pm sees me most days nearly drifting off to sleep. When I’m standing, I find that I am more alert and attentive all through the day (even if you’re more tired by day’s end).

The key message is not that ‘standing all day’ should be the norm or that ‘sitting is the enemy’. It is more about stressing that sitting all day is not good for you and that creating work environments where standing is the default option (rather than sitting).

I’m very early on in the journey, but am already finding it working.

It really does feel like A NEW BEGINNING.