For most people who work in coding, the chances are they will invest heavily in the best equipment. Top of the range processors, the latest software and more all cost money, and most programmers or coders will of course think they are worth it.

How much value is placed on investing in a decent chair though? Far too few of us put enough value on that particular piece of equipment, despite it being the most used item you have. From the minute you start work to the minute you finish, and at other times in between, you will be sitting in your chair. Taking a little time to figure out which chair is best for you, and being prepared to spend some serious cash if necessary can boost your productivity, not to mention take care of your long term health.

How Much Time Do You Spend in Your Chair?

Think about it – you spend at least eight hours a day, five days a week actively working, probably more. Outside of that, how much time do you spend surfing the web? How much time do you spend sitting in your chair gazing out of the window? In all likelihood, your chair gets used even more than your bed, and you spend a third of your entire life asleep. Not only is it important to be comfortable in your chair, but prolonged sitting can have an adverse effect on the health of your back, neck and shoulder muscles and even your spine.

As a coder, you probably spend long hours involved in a particular project and forget to take regular breaks from sitting, as recommended by medical professionals. Doctors advise office workers to take regular breaks of no less than five minutes in every hour from sitting down and looking at a screen, but when you’re involved in a project it can be easy to forget to do this.

Which Chair is the Right Chair?

There is really no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to that question. The majority of chairs on the market these days offer the basic amount of support needed, and are fully adjustable. However, they are not all necessarily designed with ten or more hours per day usage in mind. There may well be a cheaper chair out there that suits you just fine and provides all the support you need, but if you do spend long hours sitting down you should really see your chair as an investment rather than a waste of money. Good chairs last a long time – if you imagine that your chair will last you ten years or more, suddenly £600 doesn’t seem like so much – after all, it’s only £60 per year, or a fiver a month. That’s cheaper than health insurance, which if you don’t have the right chair will be needed sooner than you may think.

This post was written on behalf of leading office chair supplier Chair Office

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