deskbound

Deskbound is an informal adjective describing a person or environment dominated by desk-based work. It denotes a lifestyle or situation in which most activities—work tasks, communications, and computations—occur at a desk, with limited movement or standing. The term highlights sedentary behavior typical of many office settings and is often used in discussions of ergonomics, work-life balance, and occupational health.

Origin and usage: Deskbound is a compound of desk and bound; it can also be encountered in the hyphenated form desk-bound, and it gained common usage in late 20th or 21st century English, particularly in media and professional discourse addressing sedentary work. It is usually used descriptively rather than prescriptively, and can carry a mildly negative connotation about productivity, health, or mobility.

Related terms include sedentary, desk-based, office-bound, cubicle-bound, and remote or hybrid work contexts can reduce deskbound exposure. Critics note that labeling workers as deskbound may obscure systemic factors such as workload, schedule, or access to movement.

See also: sedentary lifestyle, ergonomics, workplace health, remote work.