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        Survey Results: How TidBITS Readers Position Themselves to Work

   Adam Engst

   Last week, after describing my standing desk setup in '[1]Lessons from
   14 Years at a Standing Desk' (21 July 2025), I inquired about your
   preferred working positions. For each of eight positions, 204
   respondents could choose from Never, Rarely, Occasionally, Frequently,
   or Exclusively. (Click the chart to expand it.)

   The results were illuminating, if not all that surprising:
     * Sitting, in a standard chair: Most people, most of the time, work
       sitting in a standard chair at a desk or table. 81% of respondents
       do that either exclusively or frequently, with just 12% doing so
       occasionally or rarely. Only 7% never work in a standard chair.
     * Sitting, with a MacBook on your lap: The entire point of a laptop
       is to work with it in your lap, but only 1% of respondents do so
       exclusively. 30% use their laptops on their laps frequently or
       occasionally, and another 30% do so rarely. 39% of people said they
       never use a MacBook on their laps, which likely reflects both those
       who don't own MacBooks and those who prefer working at a desk.
     * Standing: Although 45% of respondents said they never work standing
       up, it's impressive that 55% of people stand up at least some of
       the time. Nevertheless, it's a secondary position for most, with
       38% working standing up occasionally or rarely, 15% doing so
       frequently, and only 3% standing up exclusively.
     * Lying back in a reclining chair or bed: In 2011, during a
       discussion about standing desks among Take Control authors, our
       late friend Sharon Zardetto Aker quipped, 'Well, y'all oughta try
       it my way: neither sitting nor standing, but lying down. My laptop
       is actually a'¦ bellytop? computer.' (See '[2]A Farewell to Sharon
       Zardetto Aker, Doyenne of Mac Writers,' 5 May 2025.) Although no
       respondents work exclusively in this manner, 25% do so at least
       occasionally (for me, it's hotel room beds), and 4% do so
       frequently.
     * Standing, with a stool or perching chair: I frequently take some
       weight off using my Varier Move standing stool, but only 2% of
       respondents answered the same way. No one uses such a seating
       device exclusively, but 12% use one at least occasionally.
     * Sitting, on a kneeling chair or balance ball: Unusual seating
       options abound, and while they aren't common, 2% of respondents
       rely on them exclusively or frequently, and another 6% at least
       occasionally.
     * Standing, on a balance board: I added this option based on
       suggestions in TidBITS Talk, but it's highly unusual, with only 1%
       of respondents saying that they use a balance board for each option
       of frequently, occasionally, and rarely.
     * Standing, with an option for walking on a treadmill: Apparently,
       this little poll was not picked up by the treadmill desk
       communities, as no one reported using a treadmill. But it does
       happen: Glenn Fleishman has one that he walks on sometimes
       (although he failed to fill out the poll), and my brother-in-law
       has mentioned that he bobs up and down during remote meetings
       because they provide a good opportunity to get some distance in at
       the desk.

   Ultimately, the best advice was relayed by [3]Ron Risley in TidBITS
   Talk, who believed that the most valuable insight from the ergonomics
   movement was 'The best position is the next position.' Whatever
   positions you prefer, keep moving around.

References

   Visible links
   1. https://tidbits.com/2025/07/21/lessons-from-14-years-at-a-standing-desk/
   2. https://tidbits.com/2025/05/05/a-farewell-to-sharon-zardetto-aker-doyenne-of-mac-writers/
   3. https://talk.tidbits.com/t/help-me-build-a-list-of-answers-for-preferred-mac-working-positions/31526/14?u=ace

   Hidden links:
   4. https://tidbits.com/uploads/2025/07/work-positions.png

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