A Smaller Kit is a Better Kit, I think

My household is in disarray while my wife and I move to a new home. At this moment, my 27-inch 4K monitor is at the new location, but my laptop and I are at the old location. My company’s UX designer only ever uses his MacBook Pro: no mouse, no external keyboard, no external monitor, only the actual laptop. And sometimes carrying all my equipment around is a drag… not to mention the mechanical keyboard is pretty loud. I don’t always work at home!

So I’m spending a few days with only my laptop.

Advantages: my laptop is what I always have, and is pretty mobile, even if not exactly lightweight. By always using the laptop keyboard, I never get finger-frustrated by switching between the two different keyboard layouts. And I feel more free somehow; at one time I had one large external monitor, two smaller ones, a keyboard, and a mouse; sometimes I felt overwhelmed. Also I’m getting more productive, by forcing myself to learn the keyboard shortcuts, and better use of the trackpad. Also, it feels like the laptop screen is easier on my eyes; maybe it is less bright.

Problems: well, I sure do miss the extra real estate on the large external monitor. And the mechanical keyboard definitely has a better layout.

Still, with this new laptop-only approach I’m not tied to some certain spot in my house or home office. I can work outside on a nice day, or on the couch, or anywhere. And I have less equipment to drag around with me!