Here's a picture of my treadmill desk (cat sold separately). We set this up back in June.
Steps to make a treadmill desk:
1. Buy a treadmill. We got a nice quality, small-sized one. It's a Horizon t101 and it was a little more expensive than I planned. We checked out some treadmills that were in the $200-300 range, and I thought they'd be fine, but the demo models in the store had slightly wobbly belts. Nick didn't want me to have to wobble while I walked. The salesman figured that a new one in a home would be less likely to have the wobble problem since the store models get a lot of abuse. Regardless, we went with the Horizon. It's sturdy enough that if I want to run on it, I could. I haven't had the urge yet, but who knows!?
2. We didn't opt for the delivery set-up service. Ask Nick if he thinks it would have been worth it to pay for delivery and set-up. Treadmills are HEAVY. Getting it up the stairs involved all of our strength and knowledge of physics.
3. After we set up the treadmill, we tried to figure out what kind of surface for the desk. We went to home depot and got these shelves (for around $50):
Note, I am only using one of the shelves. The shelving we got is supposed to be temporary, and we plan to make a shelf out of wood, at height I currently have the shelf. I am using the reams of paper to raise my monitor to the right height for my eyes. I really like this stand and I need to get one to replace the reams of paper.
I haven't quite gotten the ergonomics of the keyboard worked out; I had a lower shelf for an external keyboard for a while. The shelf wasn't stable and my keyboard (wireless) kept needing new batteries. I'll figure it out at some point. Right now, I mostly read and do light typing on the treadmill. When we get into our new office, I'll figure it all out. (It'll be a while before the move.)
(Not shown is the gaffer tape holding the shelf to the treadmill to make it steady. I think on the wood version, we'll need a cross brace, but we're not there yet.)
For now, the treadmill desk is really working for me. I find I work for about an hour, then sit down (I try to limit myself to sitting for no more than 1/2 hour) and then walk some more. In a typical day when I work from home for 6-8 hours I'll walk for 3-5 hours on the treadmill. My pace is anywhere from .5 - 1.5 miles an hour, so I'll walk between 1.5 and 3 miles in a day. It's not a lot of walking, but it's much better than just sitting all day! I feel so much better than when I sit.
I do sometimes have to "sit and concentrate," but I try not to do this too often or for too long of a period of time. It also works for me to just STAND at the treadmill and not walk when I need to concentrate.
The treadmill desk was a fairly substantial monetary investment, but if it keeps me healthy and less stressed, it's worth it. (It's helping my back feel better!) When I'm really busy, I can end up working for 12 hours a day. I haven't had a day like that in a while, but when it happens again (and it will), I'm ready and will walk and work the day away!
When I finally get settled into our new office, I'll update; don't hold your breath though, I expect I will make the post NEXT Summer (2013). I am so glad I got the treadmill before my office was ready. I'd be a "sitting duck" for another year if I'd waited.
