I stumbled across an article that chronicled the habits of great writers. One of the things that stuck out to me was how each one had a unique routine and that got me thinking about how much they would have loved writing at a standing desk. From Charles Bukowski who made a habit of getting up at noon to Toni Morrison who still sits down at her computer desk at 5:00 AM the unique habits of great writers show just how important it is to embrace the routine that works best for you. And what better way to do that than with a standing desk? Here are three famous creative people who would've loved standing desks.
James Joyce
James Joyce was a man of routine but he preferred an unusual routine. Every morning at 11:00 he sat down at a piece of office furniture but not at his office desk. Instead he sat down at his piano. He'd play for a while fend off some bill collectors and then head to his office desk. If Joyce had owned a standing desk I think he still would've started his day at the piano. But when he began writing for the day I think he would've started out standing instead of sitting. I'm not sure that could've made Ulysses or A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man any more brilliant but Joyce might've been a little healthier if he'd spent a little less time sitting.
Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor's quirky writing style was a reflection of her quirky daily routines. She spent as much time tending to her pet peacocks as she did working at her computer desk... err... typewriter desk. But she still wrote tons of brilliant short stories and I think that shows how breaking up the workday can pay big dividends in terms of productivity (and in her case creativity). I think O'Connor is the type of writer who might've just stood up the entire time she was working just because she could (although I recommend a more moderate approach to most standing desk users).
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso was a big fan of standing. He would routinely stand for four hours at a time while painting and I think he would've loved drawing on an UpWrite. First off he would've been able to sit down once in a while and second of all he would've loved sketching out his new ideas with a dry erase marker. I'd love to see what Garçon à la pipe or even Dora Maar au Chat might've looked like if they'd initially been sketched out on an UpWrite.
A standing computer desk might not make you the next James Joyce (or maybe it will...) but it can definitely help you be a little healthier and more productive. Check out updesk.com for more details!
