This came up in a discussion I had the other day, and the advice I offered is important…the kind that’s based on “don’t make the same mistake as me, folks.”

If you spend a lot of time in your office, buy the absolute best, most comfortable, most adjustable office chair you can find. Put “low price” at the bottom of your list of must-haves.

You are going to spend more—maybe even a lot more—than you would by buying the chair featured in your local special-of-the-week flyer. But take it from me: don’t buy a cheap chair. I’ve gone through a legion of them over the years, and there are only two things you can count on: a cheap chair will kill your back and you’ll be back at the store again soon looking for a replacement.

Lots of folks have great things to say about Aeron chairs. I liked them too and nearly bought one until I discovered Steelcase’s chairs. Two models in particular: Leap and Think.

Better range of adjustments, solid parts that fit into a sensible sustainable development strategy, plus a good supply chain and service network. Those are all pluses…but the key benefit is that these chairs are really comfortable…even in cases where you’re sitting for extended periods.