Even though I travel a lot and spent quite some time in Spain, I actually live in Utrecht. It might seem like I’m always on the road, but I live in the Netherlands for most of the year. As a part-time digital nomad, I therefore find my workspace at home very important. It’s a quiet place where I can unwind from the hustle and bustle of my travels—or, on the contrary, make new travel plans. It was also high time for a workspace upgrade!
Working 8 hours a day in the wrong posture
When I started out as an online entrepreneur, my home also became my office. Gone was the luxury of a nicely furnished workspace with a good desk, a second monitor, and air conditioning. And I have to admit that for far too long, I simply worked at my kitchen table—or, later on, at a basic desk. But I soon noticed that my back and shoulders weren’t happy about it. I started by buying a good office chair, a laptop stand so I could see the screen at the right height, and a second monitor. Recently, I added another upgrade: a sit-stand desk.
What a godsend that is! When I work remotely, I’m in lots of different places, so I’m constantly on the move. Much more so than when I’m at home, where I tend to skip my walks. Then I sit for hours in “focus mode” behind my laptop. Not good! That quickly takes a toll on my body. It makes sense, really, because the human body isn’t designed to sit still for hours on end in front of a computer. That’s why my new sit-stand desk is the perfect solution.
I switch between sitting and standing twice a day. This has greatly improved my posture. An active posture feels much better. And after just one week, I noticed that my sore shoulders—caused by poor posture at work—started to hurt much less. My desk is electric, so it’s easy to adjust the height—and thus my working posture—several times a day. I really should have done this years ago. But as an entrepreneur, you have to watch your budget, so I put off this purchase.
It’s especially nice that I can now offer you a discount on this great desk. I use it Desktronic’s HomeOne sit-stand desk, and with the code WORKINGREMOTELY25 , you’ll get a €25 discount on orders of €200 or more (also valid on sale items and business prices).
The Choice: Why This Sit-Stand Desk?
I spent some time comparing options before making my choice. I consider reliability, a user-friendly website, fast service, and good reviews to be very important, so I compared a lot of options. Many sit-stand desks are designed for offices, with motors that make a fairly loud noise as soon as you adjust the height. I find that loud noise very annoying, so that was a must-have for me: a desk that makes very little noise when adjusting the height. With the HomeOne desk from Desktronic, I noticed that the motor stays below 39 dB. Now I can adjust the height while I’m on the phone, without anyone even noticing.
The order arrived flat-packed, and I put it together myself. I was a little worried at first that this might be quite a technical challenge, but it was all set up in just under an hour. It wasn’t a complicated job—just follow the steps and take your time. For someone who isn’t exactly patient with this kind of thing, it went really smoothly. Maybe I should just read the manual and follow the steps more often when I’m doing DIY projects, because that really does make it a lot easier, haha.
My Workspace Upgrade
There are plenty of options when it comes to colors and sizes. I love white and wood tones, so I chose a white frame and an oak tabletop. The tabletop measures 140 by 70 centimeters—more than enough space for my laptop, second monitor, and all the stuff that inevitably piles up during a workday. You can also choose a larger or smaller size. The tabletop is also sturdy: it doesn’t sag when I lean my elbows on it during a long writing session, which did happen with my previous desk. I also ordered a drawer to store a few small items, because I don’t like a cluttered desk.
Another feature I’m happy about: three memory settings. I have a standing height for the morning, a sitting height for focused work, and a second standing height for long brainstorming sessions. One press of a button and the desk is set just right, without me having to adjust it every time. Also handy: there are USB-A and USB-C ports built into the control panel. No more extra adapters cluttering up my desk.
It comes with a 5-year warranty, and if it doesn’t fit in your space after all, you have 30 days to return it for free. That kind of peace of mind makes the decision to invest in your home office a lot easier.
My cozy home office
My workspace now consists of this desk, a monitor at eye level, and an office chair that’s also due for replacement—but that’s another story. For me, this fits well with what my workday looks like at home. When I’m traveling, I’m constantly on the move: walking to a different coworking space, looking for a new spot, or taking a walk between calls. At home, that movement often disappears on its own, unless I make a conscious effort to incorporate it. This desk brings some movement back into a day where I’d otherwise sit completely still. By alternating between sitting and standing, I’m also much more aware of my posture—I can already feel the difference in my body. I highly recommend it!
I use the HomeOne sit-stand desk from Desktronic, and with the code WORKINGREMOTELY25 , you’ll get a €25 discount on orders of €200 or more (also valid on sale items and business prices).
#samenwerking
More inspiration for your workplace
Welke gear heb je als digital nomad nodig voor je remote werkplek?
