Posts tagged "work-environment":

A Smaller Kit is Definitely Btter

A while back I wrote about a smaller kit. Almost a month later, the results are in; I definitely like it.

At one time I had a giant desktop cube (probably 2 feet square), two 26“ 4K monitors, a 24-bit USB speaker system (two speakers and a sub-woofer), a mouse, a keyboard, and a Varidesk standing workstation. I was lost anytime I tried to work outside this baroque environment, and sometimes it just felt overwhelming.

Now, with just the laptop, I can work anywhere with the same ergonomics: laptop monitor, laptop keyboard, laptop trackpad. I’m using the keyboard shortcuts a lot more too.

And somehow I think my eyes appreciate it more. Maybe the laptop screen is less bright, or emits less blue light, or is just smaller (so my eyes stay focused on one spot).

I can’t think of too much else to add over my original article. I’ll end it here, with a shout-out to my colleague AJ McClary, who first gave me this idea a year or two ago. Somehow it sunk in, and now I’m much happier.

Daily Rhythm

So I have a grand vision for learning and building lots of new things… Everyone likes to plan and dream. Execution is the hard part. How do I get started?

For me, the hard problem is to change my daily routine. Learning and doing isn’t very hard… after I dedicate an hour a day. That’s the hard part: taking time from my professional and family life.

The first thing in the morning is the only possible time for me. Learn, do, and write before starting regular work. After I start regular work, I keep going until dinner time; after that is dog walking time, then an hour or to read, then bedtime.

As of right now, I use my morning free time for learning Kubernetes and Emacs, and writing this blog. My professional work includes Ansible, so that is covered by regular work.

So I still need some time for my side project, not to mention everything else I need to learn… I have to build them all into my side project, and then I can learn by execution.

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!