This article includes a 1:58 video walkthrough.
Quick answer
Active Mode tilts the chair about 2 degrees forward, toward your desk, so it feels familiar if you like to perch on the edge of your seat. But sitting upright all day still means fighting gravity, and your body will fatigue and drift forward. We recommend dialing in your chair and working in the 5-degree tilt instead, with your desk at the right height and your keyboard pulled close.
The percher's setup
Dial in your chair (pelvis support, then upper back).
Get into the 5-degree tilt: unlock, lean all the way back, lock, and come forward until it stops.
Set your seat height so your desk is at forearm height.
Move your arm pads out of the way so you can get as close to the desk as possible.
Bring your keyboard and mouse toward you. You'll feel relaxed but engaged.
Also called: perching, sitting on the edge of the seat, forward tilt, active mode.
Want help making the switch? Book a free Posture Consult with one of our licensed therapists. Consults are educational and product-related only, not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Video transcript
A question I get from people who are perchers, who like to sit at the edge of their seat, is whether they should be sitting in Active mode. When the chair is shipped, it's shipped in Standard mode, which is about one to two degrees of tilt backwards, but Active mode actually comes forward two degrees. So it's kind of tilting you towards your desk.
Now, if you're a percher, you're used to this position. But when you're upright like that all day, you're getting pressure coming down from gravity, and your body will fatigue. Even though the chair is supporting your body more than it ever would be supported when you're perching, you're still going to experience that, and it may result in you falling forward.
So what I recommend is getting your chair dialed in and actually sitting in five degrees of tilt. You have to trust me. Get yourself into five degrees of tilt and get to your desk. Make sure that you're at the correct height for your desk in your chair, so you want your desk height to be the height of your forearm. I need to bring my chair height up a little bit, so make those adjustments. And then move your arm pads out of the way so that you can get as close as you can to your desk, and then bring your keyboard and your mouse towards you, and your body will be in this relaxed position while feeling very engaged.
This is a solution for the percher that allows your body to work and task for long hours without the fatigue.