When inventor Arnon Rosen sent me samples of his big, plastic, interlocking Lego-ish EverBlocks, it felt like a dream-come-true. Here at last were modular building blocks that could be easily configured into all sorts of useful things, without tools.

Recently, my 3-block EverBlock library step morphed into a standing desk that I could set up anywhere in my space, indoors and out.

Day after day of sitting and writing at my computer made my body crave standing. Knowing that sitting for long periods of time is NOT good, I’d rigged standing desks in the past but none of them ever seemed quite right. In desperation, I plunked the EverBlock library steps on one of the terrace tables and perched my old 17″ MacBook on it.

I found myself comfortably standing for HOURS working and looking at the view.

I could easily move the lightweight EverBlock stand anywhere in my apartment. If it was too chilly or rainy outside, I’d put it on my dining table, so I could still have the view in my sight lines.

Somehow, having a standing work station across from my sitting office made my work more pleasurable and efficient. When I got tired working in one space, I’d move to the other…

One of the keys to working standing up was a discovery I accidentally made when I bought special rubber to dampen a vibration in the house. STANDING on the pads made long periods painless, obviating leg fatigue that is common. (More info here.)

This time, I just wore my high-density flip-flops I picked up at Muji years ago.

…As Hemingway showed MANY years ago, a standing desk does not have to be elaborate. It just has to work, for YOU.