What do you need for productive work? Actually, the same as for any other activity. Time and space. Much time and space. Unfortunately time cannot be produced, it can only be taken away from something, or optimized. Increasing usable space is a very appropriate optimization.
I spend most of the working time at the computer, looking at the screen. That’s why the first thing to expand was my display size.
2560 x 1600 pixels now wouldn’t astonish anybody with a 4″ cellphone with FullHD resolution but on 30 inches display it enables two roomy applications sit one by one on the screen with sufficient width. Usually, you have 3-4 windows within view on average.
Now, I have no idea how did I do programming on smaller screens.
Design, photoshop, drawing, photo viewing – are perfect in that size. In 2009, when I bought my HP ZR30w there was no such term as ‘retina display’. 5 year later, I can convince you – it pays for itself many times over, increasing your productivity. Switching to another window becomes a short move of eyes to what you already control by peripheral vision instead of computer and mental change-over.
P.S. It is not difficult to turn your head. It is better to have 2 such devices or even 3 🙂
There would be a pleasant side effect that people passing by in the open space wouldn’t notice/bother you beyond such an umbrella.
