Survey Results: How TidBITS Readers Position Themselves to Work

Last week, after describing my standing desk setup in “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 “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 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.