We as developers love gadgets and gadgets that enhance our development experience are even better. Here are 5 gadgets that I think every developer should have.
Blue Light Glasses
As developers, we spend a lot of time in front of display screens. These screens emit a lot of blue light that can be harmful for a number of reasons. Prolonged exposure to blue light has been linked to eye strain, poor sleep, and long term negative outcomes, such as poor eyesight and migraines.
For this reason, blue light glasses have been developed to filter out the blue light and help lessen these negative affects. They are a must have for developers to protect their eyesight and health in the long term.
Laptop Stand
A lot of us choose to use a laptop as our main coding device because of the versatility and portability that it gives us. However, just placing a laptop on a desk or your lap isn't ideal from an ergonomic point of view.
Putting your laptop on a laptop stand will raise the screen to eye level, which helps reduce neck strain and improve posture. Some people even use a laptop stand to allow them to stand at their desk, which itself has a number of health benefits.
Laptop stands are also good for your laptop. Raising the laptop from the desk improves airflow, which stops it from overheating.
This laptop stand is a great example.
Pomodoro Timer
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management technique that is popular among developers. It's a way of splitting down a task into small chunks of time, to make it easier to stay focussed and productive.
The basic premise is to set a timer for 25 minutes and work on the task uninterrupted for that period of time. Once the timer rings, take a short break, then start again. Do this a total of 4 times before taking a longer break. Read about the Pomodoro Technique in more detail here.
This timer is shaped like a tomato in honour of the Pomodoro Technique.
Stickers
Who doesn't love a good laptop sticker? They're a great way to show off your personality and add a bit of playfulness to your coding setup. Many developers choose to adorn their laptops with stickers of their favourite language or framework, or a good coding related pun!
This sticker pack has a large selection of popular logos and other coding related stickers. It is a great option to start or to top up your collection.
Dotted Notebook
Taking notes is a great way of processing your ideas, remembering tasks or planning projects. Research has shown that taking notes on paper is more effectively than keeping them digitally.
This dotted grid notebook is super versatile and a great choice for programmers. As well as taking notes, the dotted grid can be used to create wireframe mock-ups for your project.
Conclusion
These are my picks for useful and fun gadgets that every developer should have. Do you think I've missed anything? Write your thoughts in the comments.
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