Who This Is For—And Why It Matters
If you work from home and spend 5–8 hours at a computer like I do, you’ve probably Googled some version of are standing desks good for you or are standing desks worth it. I’ve been using the Claiks Glass Standing Desk (48×24, white) with drawers plus a portable treadmill—a slim walking pad for a desk with an auto-incline—for seven months in my small attic office. I’m a 5’5” blogger and content creator (Pinterest, YouTube, lots of writing), and I wanted a standing desk for my home office that looked clean, felt stable, and encouraged me to move more without derailing my workday.
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This combo matters because it solves the classic WFH problem: you’re either chained to a chair or trying to squeeze “fitness” into the margins of your life. I don’t have an hour to commute to a gym. I do, however, have a few hours of desk work where I can walk slowly, stand, or sit as my energy shifts. That little shift—movement woven into my day—has had outsized benefits for my focus, mood, and overall wellness.
I’ll walk you through the real-life pros and cons of the standing desk ergonomics that made the difference for me, and whether standing desk treadmills are worth it—all from the perspective of a regular person who wants to hit 10k+ steps without turning their job into a sport.
Three “Oh-Wow-That-Helps” Fixes
Benefit 1: Focus on demand (without the afternoon spiral)
When I’m writing blog posts or planning out pin descriptions, my brain doesn’t love being stuck in one position. With the adjustable standing desk height presets, I tap a button and shift from sitting to standing in seconds. If I need a focus boost, I slide the walking pad under the desk and set it to 1.0–1.2 mph—slow enough to type, steady enough to keep me alert. That gentle motion keeps me out of the post-lunch slump without a second pot of coffee. I’m not sprinting; I’m strolling with intention while words get written.
The link between low-intensity walking and concentration is real for me: after 5-10 minutes on the walking pad treadmill, I naturally slip into deeper work. My streaks of “head-down creative time” are longer, and I don’t pop up from the chair feeling creaky. This results in me being way more productive and efficient with my time.
Benefit 2: Better daily comfort and fewer “desk aches”
I never promise miracles, but standing desk benefits are very real in my body. Swapping positions—sit, stand, slow-walk—has meant less low-back stiffness, fewer neck kinks, and a general feeling that my body isn’t being ignored while I work. The Claiks desk is very stable even at full height for me (no monitor wobble), and the glass top is easy to wipe clean and looks bright in a small space.
From an ergonomics angle: the 48×24 surface fits a laptop, notebook, tissues, and a tidy organizer without swallowing the room. The standing desk with drawers is an underrated perk—pens, sticky notes, and cables disappear so the surface stays minimalist. The USB and USB-C ports on the control panel charge my phone, mic, and light—goodbye, brick jungle. Those small touches help me keep on point: shoulders relaxed, wrists neutral, and feet planted when I’m not walking.
Benefit 3: Movement that’s actually sustainable
Fitting in a “workout” while I’m also trying to brainstorm content is a nonstarter. But a walking pad for desk reframes movement as background, not a separate task that competes with work. I aim for 1–2 hours of light walking during deep work blocks, repeated 2-3 times a day. On typical days, I end up closer to my 10k steps with zero extra planning. The unit I like has a walking pad with incline feature (up to 12%): If you’re feeling frisky, use it for short “hiking bursts” before or after calls, I wouldn’t recommend doing it while heavy typing however.
If you’re wondering can standing desks help you lose weight, my honest take is that it helps you move more and sit less, which supports overall energy balance. It’s not a magic solution; it’s a habit amplifier. And that’s the point: inside a busy day, this setup keeps the “health dial” turned up without asking for more time or willpower.
Downsides—And Who Might Not Love It
Desk size: At 48×24 inches, the Claiks is intentionally compact. I love that it slides into my small Home Office space, but power users with multiple 27″ monitors or big peripherals might find it tight. If you’re running a three-monitor trading cockpit, go wider or add a monitor arm (note: don’t clamp directly to glass—use a compatible base or a spacer designed for glass tops).
Coordination curve: Walking and typing at once is a skill. I keep my speed around 1.0–1.2 mph for writing and nudge it higher during reading or calls. I’ve stumbled a couple of times when I forgot I was moving—no biggie, just a reminder to keep speeds gentle during precision work. If you’re highly distraction-sensitive or doing pixel-perfect design all day, you might prefer separating walking sessions from deep design sprints.
Noise/space considerations: My unit is quiet enough for Zoom, but if you work in a shared space with super-sensitive mics, test placement. Storage is easy for me—I tilt the walking pad and lean it against the desk leg—but if your office is truly tiny, measure the path between your chair, pad, and door.
Who might not love it? Folks who only want to sit, anyone with balance issues that make slow walking tricky, or creators whose work demands high-precision mouse control all day at fast speeds. For everyone else—this combo is surprisingly adaptable.
My Personal Insights (7 months, countless words, many steps)
I’m a former RN turned entrepreneur, which means I naturally think in habits and systems. When I set up this standing desk and walking pad combo for my home office, I didn’t want a shiny gimmick; I wanted a simple way to layer in gentle movement into the work I’m already doing—blogging, crafting pins, editing videos, answering emails, planning content.
Most days start around 7 a.m. with a coffee or 2, and a short walk while I check analytics and draft ideas . Around late morning, I’ll break to walk the dogs (shoutout to my sweet little Homer) for 3–5 miles, then come back and take a barefoot stroll on the pad while I research/sort keywords and schedule pins. I love that the pad feels cushioned enough without being squishy, and there’s no motor smell even after longer sessions—just a touch of warmth you’d expect from any motorized device.
Afternoons are my deep work sessions. If I’m writing a 1,500-word post (like this), I’ll often walk for 30-50 minutes, then sit for a bit to do screenshots or video captions. Those position changes act like micro-resets for my brain. I didn’t anticipate how strongly creativity would be tied to motion, but for me it is. On days when I move this way, I’m more likely to end at 5 p.m. feeling like I did quality work, not just checkbox work. Then it’s dogs, dinner plan, cocktail, and I can actually call it a day feeling accomplished.
Aesthetically, the tempered-glass top is very attractive. My office is small and bright; the white frame and reflective surface make it feel minimal yet inviting rather than cramped. The built-in drawers keep pens, sticky notes, and the treadmill remote out of sight, and the front USB ports handle the charging of my phone. Setup was under 30 minutes—attach legs, plug in power, move into position, done. I did the set up solo, but I would highly recommend having a second person to help. The frame feels solid and level at all heights (I’m 5’5” and never hit the top limit).
As for the walking pad, I wanted something compact, simple, and easy to move out of the way. I don’t type with the incline up. The speed range goes higher, but 0.8–1.2 mph is the sweet spot for me for writing/typing. When I’m not using it, I lean it on its side beside the desk and it disappears into the room—no wrestling, no heavy lifting. That ease matters more than the spec sheet; if storing a device is a headache, you’ll stop using it.
Results? I hit more steps, I sit less, and I feel brighter and more alert through the day. When I travel and go back to a regular table, I notice the difference immediately—slower brain, more shifting in my chair, and a little stiffness that reminds me why I made this change. If your question is, are standing desks worth it, my answer is yes—especially when you stand and walk. The combo is where the magic lives.
Quick answers to common questions
- Are standing desk treadmills worth it? If your goal is to move gently while you work, yes. Keep the speed low for typing, nudge it higher for reading or calls, and consider the incline only for short “workout-adjacent” blocks. The value is in consistency, not intensity.
- Can standing desks help you lose weight? It can help you increase daily movement and reduce long, sedentary stretches. That supports weight management, energy, and mood. It’s not a substitute for resistance training or intentional exercise—it’s a sneaky baseline that makes healthy choices easier.
- Is an under desk walking pad loud? Mine is quiet enough for calls. Everyone’s space is different, so place it on a rug or mat if you’re worried about vibrations.
- Does a glass top glare or smudge? I haven’t found glare to be an issue in my space. Like any glass, it shows fingerprints, but a quick wipe keeps it photo-ready.
If you’re building a Home Office and you want a standing desk option that’s clean, stable, compact, and truly easy to live with, this combo has my full vote. The Claiks Glass Standing Desk checks the boxes—good ergonomics, height range, tidy storage—while the walking pad treadmill makes movement feel casual and doable, not performative. If your question is, are standing desks good for you, I think the better question is: does this help you move more and feel better as you work? For me, absolutely—every single day.
Final Verdict & Setup Tips
- Start slow. Keep your walking pad at 0.8–1.2 mph while you type. Save higher speeds or the portable treadmill incline for reading breaks or calls.
- Presets are your friend. Program your standing desk: sit height, stand height, and “walk height.” That one-tap switch removes friction.
- Mind your posture. Neutral wrists, elbows near 90°, screen at or just below eye level. If you use a monitor arm with glass, use a non-clamp base that’s compatible with glass tops.
- Tidy cables = calmer brain. Route your cords once so moving from sit → stand → walk doesn’t tug anything loose. The built-in USB ports help.
- Give yourself a week. There’s a tiny coordination curve. You’ll get it. And then you’ll wonder how you ever worked without a gentle hum of steps in the background.
If you’re still debating are standing desk worth it, I’ll leave you with this: I used to clock out feeling like my brain worked but my body didn’t. Now both get attention, inside the same hours. That’s the real win.
