After sitting at the desk for hours every day, our productivity begins to fall. It’s not easy to spend long periods of time slouched in uncomfortable office chairs or crouched over an oversized desk. Not only is it unhealthy for your body, it is unhealthy for your mind. Looking for quality office furniture is a smart investment that can ultimately benefit your overall wellbeing.

Know When It’s Time for a New Desk and Chair

There are countless warning signs that your old chair at the office needs an upgrade. If you have to sit perfectly still and avoid turning in the slightest because it’s been squeaking for weeks, it’s time for an upgrade. There are more subtle signs too, though.

A bad office chair can be spotted easily by the negative side effects it can have on your body, your productivity, and your professionalism in the workplace. Poorly constructed and non-adjustable chairs can cause poor posture and pain in the back, neck, and shoulders as well as headaches. These ailments can lead to reduced productivity. Even if you don’t experience outright pain from a poor-quality chair, fidgeting and general discomfort can also cause a loss of efficiency in the workplace.

Aside from the physical effects of uncomfortable office furnishings, there is evidence to suggest that the quality of a person’s desk and chair correlates to his or her professional standing in the office. Obviously, the boss sitting in the corner office has much nicer furnishings than the intern sitting in a cubicle. Even among colleagues in similar positions, higher quality office furniture can be seen to increase a person’s perceived standing in the office hierarchy.

With all the reasons that there are to upgrade your office set, you’ll need to know how to find one made with quality craftsmanship.

Know a Quality Office Furniture Set When You See It

You don’t need to be an expert to find a great furniture set for the office, but you need to go to the right place to find what you’re looking for. There are many great specialty stores that can help you, do some research to find a reputable shop in your area. To find quality office furniture, you need to start by looking in a quality store.

Aside from being built with quality materials, a good office chair should be adjustable and provide adequate support in the back and armrests. Adjustability is a sometimes overlooked, but crucial, the feature of desk chairs. It’s important to sit at specific heights relative to your desk to improve posture and decrease discomfort.

Knowing that a desk is good quality is more nuanced and is related more to the craftsmanship of the piece. Pay attention to the type of wood used and the veneer coating, and take note of the corner construction. Most quality desks will have mortise and tenon or dovetail joints, and none will have been obviously glued or stapled together.

When your head starts to hurt at the end of the day and no amount of stretching can satisfy your aching back, it’s time for an upgrade to something better.