10 Devices That Would Make Your Life Much Easier
Most people get their news from digital media sources, look for entertainment online, and a lot of them even work from home. With that in mind, an investment in a new or better device would not just be a way to boost productivity; it will also be an investment toward a higher quality of life. To further illustrate how this would work and why it’s such a great idea, here are the top 10 devices that would make your life much easier.
1. A second monitor
You probably already have a second monitor if you’re working from home. It’s hard to imagine a job that isn’t easier with a dual monitor; some studies even suggest that this can give you a 42% productivity increase.
Everything becomes easier if you’re coding, copying, pasting, and overseeing. If you’re writing, it’s much more convenient to have your research materials on one side of the screen and the document that you’re working on on the other.
Even when it comes to leisure, a second monitor can make a difference. Imagine not having to switch screens or tabs to see an email that has just arrived. If you set the game you’re currently playing to ‘windowed borderless,’ this will become even easier to pull off.
2. Gaming TV
When in doubt about whether to get a gaming monitor or a gaming TV, it’s always safer to go for the latter. First, there’s a wide variety of options for you, some incredibly versatile and on budget.
Generally speaking, gaming TVs provide you with a larger screen size. Sure, if you want an even larger screen size, you should always go for a projector, but with a gaming TV, you’re hitting a sweet spot between the size and the quality of the image.
Sure, it has gaming in the title, but let’s face it, you’ll spend just as much watching movies and videos, which is where the TV will come in as even handier.
Also, these TVs are great for consoles, and we shouldn’t assume everyone is a PC gamer.
3. Mechanical keyboard
Let’s face it; many people live a huge portion of their lives through the screen; however, enjoying digital entertainment doesn’t mean forsaking all tactile pleasure. If anything, touch technology was born out of convenience, not elegance or leisure. This is why buying a mechanical keyboard for your PC is such an amazing idea.
People who have worked on a mechanical keyboard often stress out that this purchase increases productivity. The majority of these keyboards were designed to be ergonomic.
Lastly, mechanical keyboards often have a unique look to them. For the lovers of retro design, they may represent a direct continuation of a typewriter. So, they are a way to make your gaming den look more noir.
4. Noise-canceling headphones
While you can try to convince the rest of the inhabitants to give you some space and be considerate towards your work/leisure time, the truth is that this isn’t easy, and it isn’t always fair either. What if they had to be quiet all day in the office and, just as they reach home, you ask them to continue with this for the next four to six hours?
It’s far more elegant to invest in quality noise-canceling headphones. These won’t make your room impervious to noise, but they will drastically increase noise tolerance within the house.
Lastly, while some of the most quality headphones are expensive, they’re cheaper than acoustic panels and drywall. In other words, they’re the most cost-effective way to get some peace.
5. Fitness band
A fitness band is one of the biggest investments in your health that you could make. While they are a must-buy for any serious fitness geek, they will also provide invaluable insight into some of your best-hidden habits.
For instance, your sleep quality affects everything from focus to cognitive abilities. Now, quality of sleep isn’t a binary system; one can sleep eight hours every night and even have a lousy sleep without ever being aware.
There are many elegant ways to improve your sleep quality (like yoga and meditation), but you must first diagnose your sleeping habits as bad ones.
This is where a fitness band can prove to be of great use. By constantly monitoring your health, you can act as soon as any relevant metric is off.
6. Smart thermostat
Buying a smart thermostat is a great first step toward making your home smart. Now, why a thermostat and not a smart lock or a smart irrigation system? Well, there are a couple of reasons. You can get a smart lock for as little as $150, but a smart thermostat will pay itself off.
You have no idea how much you freeze while waiting for your home to thaw when you return from work. You also have no idea how much power you waste on forgetting to lower the heat or turn it off when you no longer need it. With a smart thermostat, you’ll never have this privilege of ignorance again.
You can use an app to turn the heating up when heading home from work. This way, you can keep exact track of your power use and enjoy a much higher level of coziness and leisure in your home.
7. Robot vacuum cleaner
Delegating household chores to robots is how most of us imagined the future growing up. In fact, if someone told us that we wouldn’t have robot housekeepers already by the time we’re adults, we probably wouldn’t have taken them seriously.
So, why not get ahead of this and get a robot vacuum cleaner? First, this will keep your home a lot cleaner because it will make vacuuming automatic. Given how many allergens there are in the dust, this will make a huge difference in your home’s overall safety.
Needless to say, this is especially important for people with small children and pets.
8. Smart kitchen appliances
Imagine being able to order your kettle to start boiling the water for your morning tea without even having to leave bed. You can do this on a budget with the simplest of smart kettles and a basic app (your smartphone already supports that).
When you think about it, it’s an inexpensive investment toward a huge quality of life improvement.
This can also be a budget-friendly purchase. Calculate how much money you spend buying coffee and tea on the way to work, so you can sleep a few minutes longer (instead of brewing yourself). Not to mention that this is simpler and more self-reliant (no more being late for work because there was a long line at the coffee shop).
9. E-book reader
You should read more, and this is probably a sentiment that you probably share with us, but where would you get the time? More importantly, where would you get all of these books you need? Buying a hardcover can be expensive, and going to the local library (albeit romantic) is time-consuming.
With an e-book reader, you can use this device with a special anti-glare technology that makes the screen look like real paper and buy/download any book in minutes. You can read on the toilet, in a tub, or on public transport. In your hand, you have a light, compact device that contains all the online books.
10. Power bank
Mobile devices go through the battery faster than you think. The more tech-savvy you are, the more apps you use, which means you’re going through your battery even faster. The simplest solution to this problem is to buy a power bank.
This device is the size of a vape or a wallet, which means you can easily fit in your pocket and produce it whenever you need to charge your phone. They’re almost as inexpensive as they are life-saving.
The purpose of technology is to make our lives better and easier
In the end, the majority of these devices are one-purchase. Even peripherals like keyboards and headphones can last you for years without being replaced (or losing properties). In other words, when you have the means (and some time), you might want to consider growing your hardware arsenal.
