It may seem like an easy task, but shopping for an office chair can be more difficult than one might think; From adapting to workspaces to helping users maintain good posture and balance, there’s a lot to consider when shopping for a chair you’ll be using many hours a day. Here are five helpful tips to consider before heading to your local office supply retailer:
Know your size before shopping
The biggest mistake most people make when shopping for an office chair is simple: they don’t measure anything before they go to the store. It’s easy to overlook, but very important to find a comfortable work chair – knowing the height and position of your office desk makes it much easier to find the right size chair, finding the balance essential for full work efficiency (and of course, being comfortable).
Measuring a chair is simple: just measure the height of a person’s desk surface, and add an extra three inches to allow for minor adjustments. Getting a height-adjustable chair from Staples is a great option: their in-store office section allows shoppers to sit down and get a feel for the chair’s height range before purchasing in-store or online.
Find a solid base
Minimalist desk chairs can be attractive – but often, a smaller center of gravity creates a dicey work position, forcing people to compensate by shifting weights or sitting in uncomfortable positions to maintain stability. Bought a desk chair from Quill with a solid base (with or without wheels) should be a must for every customer: a little legroom can be sacrificed for a larger seat base, but more even weight distribution and consistent balance make for a much more comfortable working environment.
Ergonomics = better posture
Ergonomic chairs are all the rage these days, which might be considered the next generation fad for office equipment. But there’s validity to the spine (cymbal crash) of this design: the curved posture of the back of a desk chair allows for a more natural positioning of the spine when sitting with good posture, a two-pronged approach to keep office workers’ backs from locking up or causing discomfort in long time. It also ensures consistent and healthy blood flow – just one of the many healthy benefits to buying an ergonomic chair Office warehouse or other similar retailer.
Adjustable armrest
Now, there are some people who don’t use armrests at all: this tip is for those who enjoy a little elbow room in their desk chair to relax their upper arms and shoulders during long work days. Buy why adjustable armrests? Chairs with low armrests lead to poor upper body posture, which can quickly lead to poor typing posture and all the wrist and hand problems that go with it – not to mention the strain placed on one’s shoulders when the armrests are too high. Having adjustable armrests is key: they ensure that a person will always be able to have proper hand posture, whether working at a desktop computer, laptop from Staplesor at different desk heights throughout the day.
Play at the right angle
Our last tip is a little tricky, and sometimes, only found on high-end desks: we’re talking about maintaining a consistent line of sight with one’s computer screen and workspace. Let’s face it: we all change our desk chair position at some point, whether turning around, sitting back to look at something, or leaning forward to see the ins and outs of a photo or document. Many desks have adjustable knobs that adjust the angle of the seat and back, allowing the user to maintain a consistent viewing angle. Many don’t think about it, but constantly changing angles throughout the day causes unnecessary eye strain, especially when sitting in front of a bright computer screen for eight hours or more a day.
Allison Preston is an avid shopper and seasoned writer with a passion for deals and coupons and for saving her readers money. He currently writes for leading coupon and online promo code site bluepromocode.com based in Santa Monica, California.
