Lotus WorkStation can improve your health, but may not work well with all Mac set-ups

More folks companies are realizing the health, comfort and productivity of “standing desks.” For these reasons, Fellowes Brands has introduced the Lotus Sit-Stand Workstation. It works well with, say, an iMac, but was cumbersome when I used it with my combination of 15-inch MacBook Pro and a 27-inch LG Ultrafine 5K.

Research has determined “sitting disease” as the cause for numerous health issues. The 90-degree sitting position that many of us take on for hours on end during the work week is a cause for concern. Eighteen research studies in which almost 800,000 men and women participated show that people who live a sedentary life, largely sitting at a desk for hours on end every day, have a significantly higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The Lotus Sit-Stand Workstation — available in black or white — is designed to provide a solution so you can alternate between sitting and standing. It features Smooth Lift Technology designed to keep your workstation stable (something it only partially succeeds at) and make it easy to change positions from sitting to standing effortless. It offers 22 different height settings and 17 inches of vertical adjustment so you can work in a variety of positions. There’s even a built-in device charging slot for your phone or tablet, with a standing angle for optimal viewing at a glance while you work. 

The desk holds up to 35 pounds. That should accommodate most Mac users; for example, the 27-inch iMac weights 21 pounds. However, as mentioned, I was never able to arrange AND external display and my MacBook Pro on the workstation so I could easily view the display and use the laptop keyboard.

The Lotus arrives fully assembled. There are no complicated instructions or mounting; you just unpack and set up on your desk. There are Velcro pads to attach to your monitor (or monitors) to keep them steady when you raise or lower the workstation. Use the Velcro; the Lotus Sit-Stand Workstation tends to pop up quickly when you release the latches to move it from sitting to standing position.

The Fellowes product may be a fine solution for you. Personally, I found the WorkFit more to my liking and work habits. Both sit/stand solutions cost about $500.