This is the fourth post in a series about pain-reducing improvements I’ve made to my workstation. For more detail, read part 1, part 2, and part 3.

Recently, I made a couple of big changes to my workstation: A new keyboard and a sit/stand adjustable desk. I did not add both at the same time, but so far I am enjoying each improvement.

A couple months ago, I caved in and got a Kinesis keyboard. I say caved, because I already had an ergonomic keyboard and didn’t think the Kinesis would make much of a difference. The day I got the new keyboard, I plugged it in and tried to do work. Total failure, my brain was just not adapted to the key layout. Although it is still QWERTY, the basic items like Delete, Ctrl and Alt are all on new keys for each thumb. I had to switch back to my normal keyboard to get through the day.

After a few weeks of working on and off of my other keyboard, I had finally adapted to the Kinesis and started to see improvents. On my other keyboard my right pinkie finger would tend to get sore, not so with the new one. It was really nice to move some of the load to my thumbs, and my fingers and arms barely have to move to reach everything on the Kinesis. I’m having much less painful days of programming with the new keyboard.

The second addition is a new sit/stand adjustable desk for my workstation. At our old office we had Aeron chairs which were great, but we couldn’t afford to splash that much on buying 300+ of them for the new office. The chairs we got have a foam seat, not suspended mesh like the Aeron. I found that after a few hours of sitting the padding would compress and make it uncomfortable to sit. After about a year of that — and squirming around side-to-side in the chair to compensate — I decided to start standing for some of the workday.

I assembled the new GeekDesk  and have been working with it for a couple of days now. So far, I love it. The desk uses an electric motor to adjust anywhere from super-low to higher than I need. It also never ceases to amaze my office-mates when I push a button and my entire desk full of monitors and accessories moves. I spend about 1/3 of the day sitting and the other 2/3 standing. I’m not sure if I will always keep that breakdown but it is really nice to have the option.

The keyboard and desk have both been great improvements to my workstation. I would definitely recommend both products.