Cover Image: Illustration licensed from VectorStock.com
Or for anyone typing on a computer for a living
The other day I was chatting with Tim Denning about headphones. He and I live by quality headphones for working. Music is what puts us in flow, and so, it’s imperative that we get a quality pair of headphones.
He uses the wireless Bose Quietcomfort 35 II and I used Bowers and Wilkins P7, both high-quality but expensive headphones that help you get into your own zone, cutting distractions around you.
As we kept chatting, we talked about our set up for work, I realized we do a few things very similarly. I truly believe that the right set up can make or break you. That’s why I love working from home now — you can make your environment the way you want it to.
The issue is, when you add everything up, it’s a costly endeavour, though I’d argue that you pay in back in two ways: you are more productive, and you improve your wellbeing.
Anyway, here’s a list of “expensive” things to buy to improve your productivity and/or wellbeing.
Quality Headphones
Bowers and Wilkins PX7
Official Website
Price: $399
I love my Bowers and Wilkins! I’ve had my P7s for over 7 years and they’ve been my trusty friends since. I put them on any time I’m in front of the computer and they allow me to get in the zone very quickly.
How?
In my opinion, they have the best sound quality of any headphones in the market. The PX7 is an upgraded version of the P7. They feature wireless and noise-cancelling capabilities. My P7 didn’t. I’d argue that these two features make a big difference!
Bose Quietcomfort 35 II
Official Website
Price: $299.95
This is what Tim is using and the headphones I switched to last week. My P7s have better audio quality, but they are not wireless and are not noise-cancelling. While I could easily get into flow with them, I couldn’t sustain it as well without being able to move around with them and by blocking all sounds around me.
The loss of sound quality I get from using those over the P7s, I make back in its ability to keep me in the zone.
There’s something magical about putting these on and feeling like you’re in your own world. By putting the right sounds, they can be therapeutic. Like, put wave or forest sounds, close your eyes, and feel like you’re there (without the physical sensations, of course).
Quality Chair
AKRacing Gaming Chair
Official Website
Price: $369
If you’re in front of a computer over four hours a day, an investment in a good chair is a must!
In my opinion, nothing beats a gaming chair. It’s soft and sturdy at the same time. It provides great support and is adjustable in many ways. I’m linking to the AKRacing one here, but many of the cheaper alternatives also work great. The one I currently use is $100 cheaper, but they’re not getting produced anymore, so I couldn’t link it here.
I’ve had my chair for 1.5 years now with no signs of wear and tear. While the initial investment might be steep, if it lasts five years of everyday use, it ends up being quite cheap in the end.
Standing Desk Converter
TechOrbits Standing Desk Converter
Amazon (affiliate link)
Price: $169.95
Okay, it’s cheaper than $200, but not in Canada, so hey, I can include it!
This contraption is magical. I didn’t want to buy a new adjustable desk for standing up and sitting down, but I really wanted the ability to work standing up, if only for a few hours every day. After much research, I went with this one and never looked back.
At first, I was thrown aback by the steep price, but once I assembled it, I understood why it was pricey. This thing is sturdy (and heavy)! I wouldn’t be surprised if you could put 50kg on top of it. Not that I would, but it’s reassuring that I can trust it to hold a monitor and other things on it without fearing it breaking.
Overall, this and the gaming chair greatly helped me improved my physical wellbeing.
Quality Keyboard
Apple’s Magic Keyboard
Official Website
Price: $149
Okay, another one below $200, but again, not in Canada, so it made the list!
I have a 5-year-old Macbook Pro with the fancy “butterfly” keyboard. While I love to type on it, it frequently breaks. I had to get it changed three times since I’ve had my computer. Sometimes, the keys would fall off. Other times, keys double or triple printed. When it works, it’s great. When it doesn’t, it’s the least productive keyboard you can use.
Anyway, until I could get it repaired, and after trying ten different keyboards, I decided to finally invest in the Magic keyboard. It is smooth! It’s potentially the best keyboard I’ve ever used, and it allowed me to increase my input capacity by an extra 10 words per minute. If you write and code all day like me, this is a massive gain in productivity.
Instead of forking serious money for distractions, invest in quality equipment for your work environment instead. The boost in productivity and in your physical wellbeing really don’t have a price. You’ll make up for the steep cost in under a year and will never look back.
You can do this!
— Danny
Bonus: Purchase not to make
A second monitor
You know what made me less productive? Another screen. The more screens you have, the more distracting idle windows you’ll leave open. I left my chat windows and emails open all the time. I’d see everything happening there and felt the urge to reply right away.
If you want to keep your flow, you need one window active: your text editor. Everything else is a distraction.
If you have an extra monitor already, unplug it when comes time to write. You can thank me later! :)