Healthy Workstation Setup

Healthier Working?

Over the past few months, I've been thinking about a healthier way of working on my desk and adding a few tools to it. 👨‍💻 

Four core components were really important to me: 

1) an ortholinear split keyboard (purchased).

2) a vertical mouse (purchased)

3) a very good office chair (in the future)

4) monitors (already have).

I chose the ZSA.io Moonlander, a fully programmable split keyboard with mx brown mechanical switches, to learn 10-finger typing with the home row concept (so my posture is correct and I'm not constantly looking at the keyboard) - works great so far, but it will take a lot more time to get muscle memory used to it. I've tried a lot of mechanical keyboards, but the only two I liked were the Logitech mx mechanical mini and the moonlander. 

a logitech vertical mx mouse that really helped reduce the pain in my wrists and hand immediately, and the scroll wheel feels much more natural. i recommend switching to this mouse if you are not a gamer.

a very good office chair? yes please never, ever buy a "gaming" chair - they are bad and you don't notice it until years later when you sit on it ten hours a day, especially the secret lab titans. (my bad). 

If you buy a chair with a 10+ year warranty, it shouldn't be a problem, and it will last you a decade if you buy it right. (looking at you Herman Miller, Löffler, Steelcase). Spending 1 grant on your office chair will hurt your wallet, but not your health in the long run. 

screen space is really important (to me). looking at my two 32-inch screens is a real eye-opener. unfortunately, i never come across a workplace where i'm lucky enough to have a couple of them. especially when you're working with multiple operating systems and virtual machines or coding or all together, these are productive workhorses that i would never want to do without again. I tinkered around with more monitors and also less, but this works well for me now.

I think improving your workflow, your productivity and health will give you an advantage in the field of technology. Yeah, your setup doesn't matter - this are tools to make you comfortable and you don't need them, but for me it's worth to invest money in it. 

So how to you think about it? What is important to you?