How do I set up my work corner, as a remote engineer?

Without a comfortable chair and multiple screens setup, working alone will be quite boring. But in contrast, with a good setup, you don't want to move anywhere. So this is my 2023 workstation for work-from-home setup if you are curious.

How do I set up my work corner, as a remote engineer?

I have been working remotely for two years and aside from the advantages which you already know by reading Internet blogs: Saving time from commuting, flexible time management, optimized for working and learning new skills...Those are common and are mentioned a thousand times. But the most alarming point of remote working that everyone should notice before choosing this path is how to maintain your productivity day by day.
Different from a corporate environment, you lack an everyday human interaction so your productivity will be very low. So my everyday best friend is the workstation. Without a comfortable chair and multiple screens setup, working alone will be quite boring. But in contrast, with a good setup, you don't want to move anywhere. So this is my 2023 work-from-home corner if you are curious.

The "Butt-saver, Back posture corrector, Pain-killer" that you need to prioritize over all the other things.

Well, for remote workers, you don't have to care about other things, you actually only need this. Without this, I don't know when my time comes. There is nothing to say much about the chair, I use an ergonomic chair and I don't remember the model. I think it is from Ergoto.

Two extended monitors (not necessary but I am addicted to screens)

ASUS ZenScreen MB166C 16" (left) and HP2011x + MacBook Pro M2 (right)

For screen setup, I use:

  • ASUS ZenScreen MB166C 16": This is a portable screen, I bought it a few days ago for a vertical screen setup, and easy to bring with me to the co-working space.
  • HP2011x: I have been using this screen since I was a kid to play Flash games on the web. It is insanely good and cheap for a screen which aged more than 10 years.
  • MacBook Pro M2: The M2 generation of Apple's Macbook Pro is powerful. But this is not important for the setup, you can plug in any kind of laptop if you have enough ports for extended monitor cables.

With a laptop in the middle and two extended monitors, I have a full setup of the primary middle screen, the left big screen, and the vertical one on my right-hand side. Each screen has its own purpose. I use the vertical screen for the purpose of working with the terminal, managing Spotify music, and reading research papers or books. Since I started using the vertical, I feel it is more productive because I don't have to scroll too much to find what I need.

Mouse (must try, I love this model 🔥)

For the mouse, I use Logitech Lift Vertical. If you already invested money into a butt-saver, you should care about a device that supports your wrist. I don't know if there is another ergonomic mouse out there but the device from Logitech is amazing. It supports multiple device connections with an easy switch button. I think the price is affordable (~50$) compared with the experience it delivers.

Divoom Speaker and "Friends"

Divoom Ditoo is a masterpiece. My life is happier using its pixel image slideshow mode.

But it is not fulfilled without my friends 🫠.

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Jamie Larson
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