[record scratch] Yep, this is me. I sat at my desk long enough today to persuade myself to start a tech blog and I'm not scared about it. Anyway, I'd like to discuss working from home with you.
Working from home has long been an intriguing concept, yet it took (sadly) a pandemic for it to be seriously examined across industries. When I say we want something to be permanent, I speak for a large number of developers and other professionals.
Day in the life of a Nigerian remote developer
Woken up by those sweet morning chimes from your scheduling app because, as supernatural beings, there's always a higher calling. You take a moment to search around for your anti-glare glasses and heave a deep sigh of relief—it is yet another day that you do not have to mentally prepare for that mostly dreaded commute through rush hour traffic to get to the office complex. In a city like Lagos, that saves you 1-2 hours alternating between your gas and brake pedals regardless of where you live (seriously, we need more efficient ways to transport the workforce). At the end of the day, energy, money and time could be repurposed.
Productivity can be achieved when you are in an environment that is pretty much your sanctuary and ergonomically designed for your specific needs. By the way, I would like to make mention of the fact that, having been an avid PC gamer since I developed motor skills, I have always loved desk setups. It is very satisfying to be able to have the perfect desk setup that meets your needs as you are creating or contributing to disruptive technologies.
The proper work laptop
Okay, fine, I know everybody wants a MacBook and I find it interesting when job postings have just a MacBook as the option for technical equipment because they know, more often than not, employees will go for the MacBook, barely considering any Windows PC.
When I became a Cloud Engineer at Huawei, I quickly found out that I couldn't perform certain tasks using my MacBook and I had to opt for a Windows PC. It got very tricky because some of the offerings from the top PC manufacturers get very temperamental when punished with heavy tasks but this Acer Aspire 5 slim is the perfect blend of affordability (in today's world) as well as an extremely powerful AMD processor and graphics card that will make sure your requests are met swiftly for $635. There are quite a few other options when it comes to Windows PCs but regardless of what I said earlier, you can never go wrong with a MacBook Pro for your dev and content creation needs — Am I the only one that prefers the larger displays?
The ultimate desk setup
How else will you spend that generous WFH stipend from your company if you're not thinking of the right kind of desk? I'll always recommend a height-adjustable desk because it is satisfying to be able to dial in the perfect height and save yourself from strain.
Once that is out of the way, the next thing that comes to mind is that monitor setup. According to your needs, this could range from a regular-sized Dell 27" 4K UHD Monitor to the big boy Dell UltraSharp 49" Curved Monitor. Often times, there's no in-between (sidebar: imagine running CS: GO on that glorious 49" curved monitor. Heavenly!)
My neck, my back
Ladies and gentlemen of the WFH community, please invest in a good chair. Spending long hours on the wrong type of chair will leave your body in shambles. The wrong chair will have you hunched over your computer or leaned too far back, leaving you to either suffer from neck, back, or eye strain, or all three. Be sure to get a sturdy and ergonomic chair that will look after you with numerous adjustments and won't cost several arms and legs.
Whether you're seated in a relaxed position or you're hunched over reading this article, as tiny as a mouse is, it can get really uncomfortable after prolonged use. Now allow me to introduce you to the best ergonomic mouse that you don't have to slide around because it has a trackball and Logitech cares about your comfort.
Oh, and speaking of Logitech and the great things they do with their quality products, here is a pretty amazing HD Webcam, so you don't have to worry about your video quality during those Zoom meetings and also a really good keyboard that will keep your wrists at an angle while you type, invariably improving comfort. While you're at it, get yourself a nice pair of headphones that won't clamp down on your head, leaving you fatigued after an hour. As an audiophile, I find it really annoying when a pair provides really good sound quality but just hurts to have on.
Ultimately, being able to contribute to society while having the flexibility to spend more time with family and loved ones while also being able to travel and gain new experiences is the way employment, which doesn't necessarily have to be on-site, should be.
Anyways, I'm looking forward to spending more years as a developer working from a discreet remote location anywhere in the world that I might choose.