Comments on: Size Does Matter — Bigger Monitors Save 2.5 Hours a Day http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/ Tim Ferriss's 4-Hour Workweek and Lifestyle Design Blog Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:23:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Don http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/comment-page-1/#comment-63867 Don Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:30:03 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/#comment-63867 Interesting read. In January we bought 4 24" 1920x1200 monitors and we thought we had our new monitor size for the year. (Last year we gave many of our staff two 22" 1600x1080 monitors). We bought two 28" 1920x1200 monitors about 6 weeks ago with the idea of giving them to managers that frequently had multiple people in their office reviewing their screens. This worked great and the manager's loved their monitors. Next we bought more and gave two of them to our engineers doing CAD work, (one for CAD, one for reference material). It took a few hours for them to like them but after a day they love them. We bought another batch of monitors and gave two to one of our project managers. He loves them as he can spread schedules and spreadsheets out over both monitors. Those that don't like them right away, like them after we do a little training so the use them right. Now, most of the staff wants these monitors. The people with the 24" monitors are ok with them, but they would rather have the 28" monitors. Interesting read.
In January we bought 4 24″ 1920×1200 monitors and we thought we had our new monitor size for the year. (Last year we gave many of our staff two 22″ 1600×1080 monitors).

We bought two 28″ 1920×1200 monitors about 6 weeks ago with the idea of giving them to managers that frequently had multiple people in their office reviewing their screens. This worked great and the manager’s loved their monitors.

Next we bought more and gave two of them to our engineers doing CAD work, (one for CAD, one for reference material). It took a few hours for them to like them but after a day they love them.

We bought another batch of monitors and gave two to one of our project managers. He loves them as he can spread schedules and spreadsheets out over both monitors.

Those that don’t like them right away, like them after we do a little training so the use them right. Now, most of the staff wants these monitors. The people with the 24″ monitors are ok with them, but they would rather have the 28″ monitors.

]]> By: Garry http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/comment-page-1/#comment-62975 Garry Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:32:43 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/#comment-62975 I suffered a stroke 4 years ago and therefore have problems retaining information. Too much or hidden windows on a screen causes too many problems for my mental resources. I have found that my 13" macbook connected to a 22" LCD monitor works for me. The 13" macbook is very portable for me when I am on the move and usually require me to only look up information or take notes (I use OmniOutliner for notes). While when I get back to my home I plug it in to my 22" monitor and have all that real estate to create with. I have used 2 monitors in the past but I have a problem with that now. You see I get easily distracted from the task at hand, in fact I forget in a space of a quick look at some distracting info of what I was doing even if it is sitting right in front of me. Strange, YES! let's hope the same doesn't happen to you. So I find that one monitor of 22" works very well. Just enough to have some reference material up and take notes in Omni Outliner and to view a spreadsheet and make edits, or to edit a photograph, but not enough to have some distracting screens in view that may capture my attention and waste my time - not in viewing it but remembering what I was doing. Seeing I have this disability I would have to agree that larger screens do increase productivity for me, but 2 screens actually decrease productivity. I use Spaces with my macbook to create groups of programs - ie: communications (mail + skype), photo editing (lightroom + adobe), general (bento, omnioutliner, calendar (when required as I use Bento), word, excel), web creation (omnioutliner, browser, cyberduck). Anyhow you get the idea, as I group programs together that I need to get a task done. Sometimes they cross over, which is dangerous, so I keep a pad at hand to write where I was up to in the task. Note: I was an IT professional in the corporate world and was a consultant in Windows Servers and PC's, LANs etc. I now use Macs. I find it easier to use, even though I still keep up with Windows and use it as required. I suffered a stroke 4 years ago and therefore have problems retaining information. Too much or hidden windows on a screen causes too many problems for my mental resources.

I have found that my 13″ macbook connected to a 22″ LCD monitor works for me. The 13″ macbook is very portable for me when I am on the move and usually require me to only look up information or take notes (I use OmniOutliner for notes). While when I get back to my home I plug it in to my 22″ monitor and have all that real estate to create with.

I have used 2 monitors in the past but I have a problem with that now. You see I get easily distracted from the task at hand, in fact I forget in a space of a quick look at some distracting info of what I was doing even if it is sitting right in front of me. Strange, YES! let’s hope the same doesn’t happen to you. So I find that one monitor of 22″ works very well. Just enough to have some reference material up and take notes in Omni Outliner and to view a spreadsheet and make edits, or to edit a photograph, but not enough to have some distracting screens in view that may capture my attention and waste my time – not in viewing it but remembering what I was doing.

Seeing I have this disability I would have to agree that larger screens do increase productivity for me, but 2 screens actually decrease productivity. I use Spaces with my macbook to create groups of programs – ie: communications (mail + skype), photo editing (lightroom + adobe), general (bento, omnioutliner, calendar (when required as I use Bento), word, excel), web creation (omnioutliner, browser, cyberduck). Anyhow you get the idea, as I group programs together that I need to get a task done. Sometimes they cross over, which is dangerous, so I keep a pad at hand to write where I was up to in the task.

Note: I was an IT professional in the corporate world and was a consultant in Windows Servers and PC’s, LANs etc. I now use Macs. I find it easier to use, even though I still keep up with Windows and use it as required.

]]> By: Matt http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/comment-page-1/#comment-62768 Matt Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:59:04 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/#comment-62768 Dual screen is the way to go. The same as having a 2nd desktop and you don't have to worry about resizing. I use a 13" macbook with a 19" 2nd monitor. Saves hours every day! Dual screen is the way to go. The same as having a 2nd desktop and you don’t have to worry about resizing. I use a 13″ macbook with a 19″ 2nd monitor. Saves hours every day!

]]> By: Griffin http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/comment-page-1/#comment-59897 Griffin Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:14:12 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/#comment-59897 I have a 19" screen and looking to get a second one. I'm trying to justify the cost, but I always hear how much time it saves. Plus for me I could edit sites in one and preview/review in the other. I have a 19″ screen and looking to get a second one. I’m trying to justify the cost, but I always hear how much time it saves. Plus for me I could edit sites in one and preview/review in the other.

]]> By: Mike Cooney http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/comment-page-1/#comment-58054 Mike Cooney Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:06:26 +0000 http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/15/size-does-matter-bigger-monitors-save-25-hours-a-day/#comment-58054 I agree with their findings 100!%. I've been in the graphic industry for 5 years, and when it comes to design work - Size matters! I found though, that even more important than size, is quantity. I went from a 22 inch to a 25 inch and noticed a very slight increase in work flow efficiency. But after i started using a Dual monitor setup, my productivity exploded. For me, it's all about having dedicated space for different tasks. Two weeks ago, I cursed the corporate world and quit my job to start living my own life. Today I purchased a new laptop for my muse, and wasted no time buying a second monitor to go with it. I agree with their findings 100!%. I’ve been in the graphic industry for 5 years, and when it comes to design work – Size matters! I found though, that even more important than size, is quantity. I went from a 22 inch to a 25 inch and noticed a very slight increase in work flow efficiency. But after i started using a Dual monitor setup, my productivity exploded. For me, it’s all about having dedicated space for different tasks.

Two weeks ago, I cursed the corporate world and quit my job to start living my own life. Today I purchased a new laptop for my muse, and wasted no time buying a second monitor to go with it.

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