Is it worth having TWO Computer Screens?

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to increase your productivity at your workstation? Do you ever tire of opening and closing and opening yet again all those application windows on your desktop? Well, the answer to your problems is here: get a second screen!
Wait…say what?

Yes, get yourself two computer screens.

Many people ask me if they should spend money on buying an extra screen for the laptop or desktop computer. If that person has a laptop I always say: You definitely should. If that person uses a desktop instead, I usually ask: what’s your current screen size? And if it’s smaller than 23 inches, hit repeat; I give the same advice as I did for a laptop.

So why is it worth having a second screen?

Reason #1

It makes every task on your computer so much easier. If you do any kind of work on your computer, you will be running multiple programs all the time. For example, if I’m working on an excel sheet I generally have Excel, Safari, Word and sometimes Adobe open at the same time (Yes, I have a Macbook too). If I only had one screen to do all this, I’d be constantly minimizing and maximizing windows or switching virtual desktops. I’d eventually get the work done, but I always feel like I spent most of my time not doing my work, just opening and closing windows.

Reason #2

Save time for things that matter. You use a computer to make life simpler, right? When I first started using two screens I couldn’t believe how much time I saved. Sometimes I took less than half of the time that I used to. In fact, a study from Microsoft showed that it could boost your productivity from 9 to 50%!

Reason #3

If you arrange them well it looks really cool. Here are some of the best dual screen setups that I found.
Apple UMBP Setup with 2 Benq E2200HD monitors on Ergotron Arms

Source: OSX Daily


Source: Twisted Sifter
Another option to consider is getting a bigger monitor. If you have a large enough monitor (that’s why i ask about the 23 inches) you can have multiple windows open in the same screen. In my case, I have a Macbook and a 24-inch monitor. When I come home, I hook it up and I can watch movies or work from home in the big screen. If I have some work to do at home, I can easily have 2 Word or excel documents right next to each other in the large screen and another adobe or Safari window in the laptop screen.

The only downside would be the adjustment to having two screens. Put them side by side, too, or you’ll feel like an owl, swiveling your head back and forth. It really only took me a couple days to get used to the wider coverage, though.

But really, getting an external monitor was one of the best choices that I ever made. And if you have a laptop like me or you simply want to maximize your time, you are not going to regret having one either.