Working from home (WFH) on the sofa or cheap chair can ruin you. Sitting that way for long periods causes back pain, lethargy, and distraction. In comparison, using a gaming chair can dramatically improve the way you feel about work. Used the right way, it becomes a place to rest comfortably while feeling in control of your day. Thinking of investing in a gaming chair? Learn how using one can supercharge your feelings about working from home.
Gaming chairs sport all sorts of ergonomic features to help keep your spine straight. That keeps back pain at bay. It also keeps you energized and alert.
For over a decade, gaming chairs have been supporting the world’s best esports players. When the 2020 lockdowns kicked in, gaming chair demand surged among office workers as well.
That makes perfect sense. Away from the office, employees finally had the freedom to choose their own seating. In a work-from-home context, gaming chairs serve as an effective and affordable productivity hack.
Work From Home With a Gaming Chair
With the number of hours that are spent in an office chair, it’s no wonder why many people suffer from back and neck pain.
Following the lead of pro esports players, a simple solution is to invest in a gaming chair. This type of chair is designed specifically for long periods of sitting, and can help you feel more comfortable at work!
As a work-from-home office chair, gaming chairs have several advantages:
- Ergonomic: potent posture support makes it easy to sit up straight.
- Affordable: most premium models cost under $500. Many cheap modela are also available for under $200
- Easy to buy: gaming chairs are easy to order online and have delivered to your door fast.
- Attractive: adding a premium gaming chair will enhance the aesthetics of your entire workstation.
- Comfortable: enjoy long periods of comfortable sitting without muscle strain.
Develop Healthy, Life-Changing Habits
The point of a gaming chair is to support good sitting posture over long periods. Its ergonomic features encourage users to sit upright, rather than slouching. Over time, sitting (and standing) with good posture becomes ingrained as a habit.
Habit development has three components: a trigger, a response, and a reward.
In this case, the trigger is back pain caused by poor seating equipment. The response is to buy a gaming chair and use it correctly.
The reward is good posture as a habit, which yields several benefits. For instance, good posture makes you feel more confident, energized, and motivated.
In several ways, a gaming chair turns your workspace into a happiness trigger. You’ll come to associate sitting there with the best parts of your day. This is where you become the most comfortable, in control, and productive.
How Gaming Chairs Boost Work Happiness
Whether gaming or working, gaming chairs are the perfect way to enjoy long sitting sessions. Several aspects can boost well-being and happiness in different ways.
Develop Good Posture While Sitting
Poor posture is so prevalent in our society that it has become normalized. In fact, over 80% of American adults suffer from anterior pelvic tilt. Because it’s been normalized, soo too have the side effects. Common symptoms of poor posture include chronic lethargy, back pain, and migraines. Rather than address these problems, many people accept them as a normal part of life.
There are many ways to fix poor posture. One is the easiest is to use a gaming chair. You don’t have to do anything other than sit in a neutral position.
At first, it may feel awkward. But once you get used to it, you’re likely to forget that you’re sitting and focus on your work.
When your body is rested and comfortable, time flies at the computer. The longer you sit, the more your body will adapt.
Happiness Trigger Value: Moderate
Developing good posture is one of the easiest and most important lifestyle improvements one can make. Even so, the immediate happiness triggers are mild.
With good posture, you’ll look better. Instead of a slumped back and protruding belly, you’ll stand with a tall and confident air.
This triggers some happiness, but just a trickle compared to the flood incoming.
Boost Comfort and Relieve Fatigue
Studies show that sitting in a neutral position with lumbar support places the least amount of stress on a seated body. This is how a gaming chair can help to reduce physical stress.
Sitting this way reduces pressure on the lumbar discs, which in turn reduces lower back pain. Good sitting posture also balances the muscles around the spinal column.
In fact, without support, ninety percent of all brain energy output goes towards holding the body upright. That leaves only 10% for thinking, metabolism, and healing.
A gaming chair lets you hack this ratio. Instead of your muscles doing the work, the chair does. That takes a huge amount of pressure off the back, neck, and upper body muscles.
Happiness Trigger Value: High
Good posture makes you look better, which yields some happiness. In comparison, good sitting posture will make you feel better to a mind-blowing degree.
If you use a cheap office chair full-time, you probably suffer lower back pain. If so, you will come to associate your workspace with discomfort and dreariness.
In contrast, once you adjust to a gaming chair, sitting becomes a pleasure. At first, the difference compared to an office chair is jaw-dropping. It might even make you feel disoriented for a while!
But once you get used to it, comfort becomes the norm. Luckily, there’s are more big benefits that will make things even better.
Improved Productivity
This is the biggest payoff by far. It’s the reason pro esports players use gaming chairs for full-time training. It’s also the reason so many office workers are switching to gaming chairs.
Slouching in a chair for long periods overworks muscles and can actually hurt your productivity. Doing so will drain energy while amplifying listlessness and apathy.
In contrast, people who sit straight tend to be more alert and assertive. There’s a biological reason.
Poor sitting posture compresses the rib cage. Then, oxygen intake reduces by up to 30%. With less oxygen, processing speed in the prefrontal cortex slows.
This is the ‘thinking’ part of the brain. When it slows, so does one’s focus and concentration. That explains why uncomfortable people fidget, while others maintain focus.
Happiness Trigger Value: Very High
Many hacks exist to boost success potential. In the sports world, steroids are banned because they give athletes an unfair advantage.
In the computing world, gaming chairs also give an unfair advantage. Using one will make you look better and feel better. Instead of chronic fatigue, you can expect to feel energized. At the computer, enjoy sharper focus and improved productivity.
At the end of your workday, you won’t feel exhausted. Rather, expect a surplus of energy to spend on evening leisure pursuits.
Upgraded Workspace Aesthetics
Gaming chairs were originally designed for video game players. Since gaming is about having fun, gaming chair designs are a big part of the appeal. Using one as a desk chair can boost happiness on an aesthetic level.
Many studies show that our physical environments influence our cognition, emotions, and behavior. Working in a cluttered space increases stress and anxiety levels. Disorganization also drains cognitive resources and reduced focus.
The problem is that when using cheap equipment, motivation wanes. As a result, clutter builds up, and stress levels rise.
In contrast, buying a high-quality gaming chair can give you an aesthetic spark. For example, last year, I ordered a Cyberpunk gaming chair from Secretlab. Its brilliant yellow design clashed with my cluttered, unkempt workstation.
That motivated me to re-design my workspace and keep it clean. While babying your gorgeous premium gaming chair, it becomes easy to do the same with your workstation.
Happiness Trigger Value: High
Custom gaming stations with an emphasis on aesthetics are hot. The internet is filled with places like r/battlestations where people show off their brilliant designs.
Once you add a gaming chair into your setup, expect it to fire up your aesthetic senses as well.
Sitting down to work at a clean, pristine, nicely designed workstation never gets old. In fact, designing a gaming station is a bit like playing the Sims. It’s easy to get carried away and make changes, but it can also be rewarding.
If you have time, experiment with different color combinations or switch up your desk layout. See here for tips on using feng shui principles to jazz optimize your energy flows.
There’s no limit to the possibilities! In fact, you might find that this form of customization has a soothing, therapeutic effect.
When you’re using one as your desk chair, it will make the entire space feel more inviting and futuristic. Then, watch how your creativity soars.
How To Choose a WFH Gaming Chair
Buying a gaming chair in 2021 is very easy. There are several established brands across all price ranges offering proven, reliable products.
Choosing the best model for your needs depends on two aspects, summarized below:
Choose by price
Cheap gaming chairs do the same job as expensive models. That is, to support neutral postures over long periods. The difference is that cheaper models aren’t as adjustable as premium ones. They’re also less durable.
Even so, if money is tight, there are many solid options to choose from:
- Cheap Gaming Chairs Under $200: typical models in this range comes with 2D armrests, deep recline, and a 2-year warranty.
- Affordable Gaming Chairs Under $300: most chairs in this range pair premium ergonomic features with 1-year warranties.
Choose by size
Whether you buy a cheap or premium gaming chair, it’s important to choose the right size. Doing so will ensure that you get the best back support benefits from your investment.
Here at ChairsFX, we’ve boiled down the best chairs in the industry across three sizes:
- Best small gaming chairs: for sizes 4’9″ to 5’9″
- Best medium-sized esports chairs: the same chairs used by elite pro esports players.
- Top-Rated Big and Tall Gaming Chairs: premium and affordable gaming chairs that support 400 pounds.
To find your perfect gaming chair, choose the right size. Then, pick out a model that fits within your budget. It’s that easy!
Conclusion
Gaming chairs make gaming more enjoyable. But their benefits don’t stop there! By upgrading your gaming station, you can improve your posture, mood, and productivity.
But that’s not all. A stylish gaming chair can also inspire your workstation aesthetics to new heights. Then, you will start feeling happier and even more enthusiastic about your work!
Here’s how a gaming chair can boost your WFH happiness:
- Easy posture correction: all you need to do is sit in a neutral position.
- Reduced fatigue: gaming chairs support your body so that your muscles don’t have to.
- Improved productivity: when rested and comfortable, productivity skyrockets.
- Upgraded aesthetics: a good chair can motivate you to style up your workstation and keep it clean.
