I'm gonna sit right down.....
Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 10:32AM At my stage in life, health is pretty important to me. I'm not getting any younger and as a self employed person who needs to be fit and active to keep churning out content for a living, I really need to look after myself.
The exercise is on track, well at least most week days I get myself down to the local leisure facility for a swim.
The eating needs a bit more self control but we'll skip over that for now.
The other area that's been concerning me of late is the amount of time I spend in front of the Mac. You can usually find me here from 9am to 6pm, then 10pm to Midnight most weekdays. That's on a normal non production day. On a production day, or if I'm doing some commissioned work, all bets are off and I'm here for as long as it takes.
Whilst I have a pretty sweet monitor setup, and special computer glasses (fixed focal length) , I've been using a crappy "Makro special" executive chair for quite a while. One of those faux leather, high backed affairs that cost about £50. It has no adjustments, has started to get very squeaky and can get very sweaty after a prolonged editing session (too much information? Sorry!)
For the amount of time I spend in front of Mac, I really owe it to myself to get a decent chair, not so much to alleviate any current issues, but to head off any future issues.
So I've been lusting over a decent chair and whenever I do any searching on the web, one keeps on popping up on the radar and that's the Herman Miller Aeron chair. This seems to be the Rolls Royce of chairs, adjustable in every which way, moves with you, breathes with you, you name it, it does it.
It also looks pretty damn smart!
The only issue is the price... £700 .... for a chair! Excuse me!
You know, it's funny but if I had the slightest valid excuse to buy a new MacBook Pro for £2000, it would hurt, but I'd find a way somehow, and I wouldn't worry about it.
But £700 for a device that I'd be sitting on for most of my working day, every day, for three of four years, giving me comfort and proper support, pah!
£700 purlease!!!
So after several months of deliberation (seriously!) I've decided to bite the bullet and get a new chair. Well actually, not a new one, a second hand Herman Miller Aeron from eBay for £300 plus delivery.
Still, £300 is a shed load of cash for a new chair, but let's just say the money I've saved by not upgrading to the new MacBook Air will pay for it. Heck, I could have bought two for the money I've saved by not upgrading the Air. There, that makes me feel better!
So it should be here in a couple of days. I've bought it from a company on eBay that specialises in Office clearances and they had 200 to shift. eBay feedback looks good so I'm fairly confident it will be a decent second hand model.
I'll report back on my findings once I've had chance to try it out for a bit.
Reader Comments (9)
Don ... I can appreciate your comments about a comfortable chair. I splurged for one last year. Expensive... but worth it.
As far as eating healthy goes... its just about impossible to get the 7-13 servings of fruits and veggies they recommend.... my family tries to eat well, but we all take a product called Juice Plus. It gives us 17 fruits and veggies every day! You ought to give it a try. Have a blessed day!
Hmm, I´d turned 41 in february. I should the article slow and twice ;-) I have a new office next month. Maybe I should think about about sitting, too.
I've had one for at least 8 or 9 years - a gift from an older couple I introduced to the Mac. It looks as good as new and the key thing is it has disappeared, i.e. you're not aware you've been sitting in it for hours and hours. Like a Mac it just works.
Good for you, Don. I got a serious ergonomic chair last summer, and it was totally worth it. I can't imagine sitting for hours in my old chair now. I would also suggest looking into some kind of software that prompts you to get up and stretch regularly. This makes a big difference as well. I like MacBreakz.
I think the ones that we have in the office are _£900_ retail price. However, I still slouch over the desk and generally have the most terrible posture... But I think that's just my natural lazy way of sitting rather than the chairs fault.
What I really, really wanted at home was one of those fancy desks that can go up and down in height so you can work standing up once in a while. Better for posture, and from what I've read, makes you walk around more and keep away from the computer.
Don,
The Aeron chair is the Rolls Royce of chairs.
Once you sit on one you'll understand it worth every penny.
Enjoy it!!! :)
I'm doomed! Smoke, Drink, 4 hour's a day commuting, and sitting at my desk (when not out smoking) for 8-9 hours. Let's not even go down the food route. After a year in India I want it all and I want it now.
Hell I was 12 stone going out, 9 stone coming back (after a year) and back to 12 stone within 2 months.
I need a desk you can stand / jog / bar with peanuts and maybe those spicy crisps..........
I'm Doomed!
Don, I have one for years and it's worth every single penny. Other chairs pale in comparison.
Have fun and relax!
Don, I've had my eye on the Aeron last year but decided it was perhaps it was a bit expensive... I did look for 2nd hand ones on ebay but the postage to Cumbria was always too expensive.
Opted for a "Topstar Sitness 10" from Viking Direct and it's been much better than previous Ikea option.