The Chair I Built a Brand In, The Austin Kneeling Chair from Sleekform
We’ve all sat in an uncomfortable chair before. We hardly want to stay in one for too long. When I’m uncomfortable, I fidget constantly, adjusting and readjusting trying to find the best posture that doesn’t compress my spine ( a feeling I’m hypersensitive to after pinching nerves near my spine and being in the worst pain of my life for hours). When I am uncomfortable I can’t fall into my work and enter my flow state of creativity. The Austin Kneeling Chair from Sleekform has changed all that. They also didn’t pay me to write this, I just love the chair that much.
“It’s time we do away with hunching and crunching our spines”
- Sleekform
We spend much of our day sitting and it can become uncomfortable. I dreaded the thought of working from home during the winter while sitting in the same uncomfortable seats I always have, dealing with constant discomfort, always trying to make sure I’m not hunching or compressing my spine. Even with lumbar support, and both feet flat on the floor, using the 90-degree posture technique, traditional chairs just don't provide the comfort I desire. When I am in a constant state of discomfort it is often difficult for me to find and maintain a sense of optimal flow.
What is optimal flow?
Optimal flow is an approach to living and working with less stress, distractions, burnout, and with more focus and fulfillment.
During the flow state of being, individuals “typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life.” According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the author of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, ( a book I’m currently reading and enjoying) flow experiences are the most desirable episodes of directed attention. This means you are in the zone, and all your attention is focused on completing the task at hand. Flow is genuine satisfaction with your present experience and it guides us on how to invest our time efficiently.
What are the benefits of optimal flow?
Optimal flow is described as an effortless effort in which the impossible becomes possible. We are propelled through an activity. There is a merger of action and awareness. The self vanishes and there is complete concentration. The voice in your head is silent. Time dilates.
We learn 240 - 500% faster in a state of flow
Creativity spikes 400% to 700% in flow
Optimal flow helps to innovate and heightens intuition. When sitting at my desk in a comfortable chair I produce my best work and I enjoy working. Can one chair really contain all that power?
The Ergonomic Austin Kneeling Chair from Sleekform
“The 120° angle of the kneeling chair seat keeps our hips open and core engaged which takes a ton of pressure off our lower back. Resting your shins on the knee pads takes even more pressure off the spine.”
- Sleekform
Over the last year, I’ve worked on a life audit and used what I learned to design and curate spaces and habits in my life that encourage me to thrive. This included reassessing my home office space. I work from home as the Founder of Cheltenham, and although I have the freedom to move around I am often sitting in a chair when coaching small business owners on building brand clarity or designing an eye catching website.
During the brand clarity process, the client and I address tension found in the experiences of the owner, team members, and their clients/audience. We help our clients design workflows that produce consistent quality content, allowing creative teams to produce their best work with ease using personalized workflows and collaborative tools. We increase opportunities for creative play while maximizing communication, efficiency, and productivity. Basically, I am your brand’s guide toward a state of optimal flow.
Do you feel tension when trying to settle into focused work? Cheltenham’s brand audit provides insight into your brand’s routines as well as the tools and systems that small business owners and brands use daily to work efficiently. With new applications, software, and tools launching all the time in the digital age, do you consider the chair you sit in as a tool for your most productive work?
When it was time for me to address the tension I felt in my back every day after sitting and working, this chair helped me do just that. If you value your productivity (and back) I recommend the kneeling chair from Sleekform.
The Austin Kneeling Chair from Sleekform
The Pros
✅ It’s easy to assemble
✅ It’s made of quality materials and comfortable padding
✅ The kneeling position takes pressure away from my spine and gut and allows me to freely dance and move my hips in this chair (this is vital to my happiness 😌🎶)
✅ The slight forward slope allows me to fall into my work for longer periods of focused work
The Cons
I seriously don’t have much to say here except that at the time it didn’t come in a dark wood stain (although I can just stain it myself if I really wanted to so I don’t really count this as a con).
The Bottom Line
The Austin ergonomic kneeling chair would make a perfect gift for any friend on your list (or yourself). The Austin Kneeling Chair from Sleekform proves you don’t need the newest fancy gadget to do your best work, sometimes you just need a better chair.
What tools, software, gadgets, gizmos, and furniture help you achieve and maintain optimal flow?
Gabriel Carter is designing systems to encourage growth. He is the Founder and Brand Therapist at Cheltenham. He is currently residing in Baltimore, helping small brands unlock their potential to thrive while exploring his personal growth and identity.
