Working from Home with Dual/Two Monitors
The chances are good you've experienced a time when, while using your computer, you wish you had two monitors. Perhaps you have many tabs open on Chrome or needed to use multiple programs at once.
If you're like most people, you found swapping between different pages and programs frustrating. It's a bit strange, then, that so few people use two monitors in their work setups. It's even stranger if you work from home, where you have more or less all the freedom you want to customize your setup as you so desire.
That's why today we'll try to sell you on the merits of a dual monitor setup so you can see if this might a solution you've been looking for and didn't realize was there all along.
Two Monitors, Too Easy
If you're not tech-savvy, you might be intimidated at the idea of a two-monitor setup. The many ports on the back of your computer tower can be intimidating but installing a second monitor is actually very easy. Perhaps the most important part of installing dual monitors is figuring out which ports your computer has.
This will affect what wires you are going to need so any monitor you buy can "talk" to your computer. As for which monitors to buy, it is mostly up to you. Most monitor computer monitors can be made to work with most PCs. All you need is a compatible wire to connect the monitor with your computer. There's some nuance if you want to get fancy, such as hubs and monitor stands that make multiple-monitor setups even easier.
Overall though, all most users need is two monitors and the wires to hook them into their computers. Even laptops can utilize two monitors if you so desire. It doesn't have to be a permanent solution either; switching from one to two monitors and back again is easy once the appropriate equipment has been purchased. You can swap in minutes once you know where the relevant wires go. Once you have your two monitors, you only need to tweak some settings to get your virtual space the way you want. Explaining that stuff is a bit beyond the scope of this article, but it is not very hard either.
Declutter Your Virtual Life
Once you have two monitors installed, a whole world opens up to you. If you've been working remotely, a two-monitor setup can genuinely help improve your efficiency by a large margin. Imagine, for instance, if you split your desktop between your two monitors.
Programs, folders, and files you use in your day-to-day can be on one side. On the other, you can have programs and files critical to your work but which you don't need when you're not working. This helps your desktop feel less cluttered and can make finding what you're looking for much easier. If you know "work stuff" is always on your right, and there's less stuff on the monitor to sort through, your life is easier.
The more files and folders you have on your desktop, the more benefit two monitors can bring. If you always have trouble finding what you're looking for, setting up a second monitor can be a low-cost solution to decluttering your virtual space.
No More (or at Least Much Less) Flipping Around
Not everyone who is remote working may have the above-discussed issue, but that also isn't all two monitors can help with. As was briefly mentioned in our introduction, it is also possible to use two monitors so you can more or less use two programs at once. It is worth noting this is useful for more than just work.
For instance, many people keep many tabs open on their internet browser. You may want to make sure you get social media messages, but also want to watch videos. With two monitors, you can have your social media account up on your second monitor.
Using your main monitor to watch videos or listen to podcasts, you only need to flick your eyes over to see if you have any new messages or notifications. As for work, a two-monitor setup can be fantastic for anything involving research or data. You can have your datasheet or whatever article you're referencing on one monitor. Then you can perform your actual work on your primary monitor.
The ability to reference something without needing to click off of your work can be a huge time saver. It's also far less annoying than alt-tabbing every time you forget a number or need a direct quote. This can even help for things like virtual conference calls. Your main monitor can have whatever program you're using for the call, while your secondary monitor can have data or other points you may need to reference. In some cases, a custom dual monitor setup can make working from home easier than having these sorts of calls at the office!
An Easier, More Convenient Way to Work
Using two monitors for remote work (or any other kind) is almost universally more convenient. You have more space to work with and there isn't really a downside. It's inexpensive and easy to do. If you ever need to multitask for your job, chances are good that another monitor can save you some time and effort.
You gain options without losing any. If you liked our content, you may also like our IT support services. Whether you work at home or the office, we can probably help improve your efficiency, security, and more. If you'd like to learn more, contact us!