Digital Marketing - Why Investing in IT is Investing in Yourself

Many writers and digital marketing professionals avoid it until it becomes inevitable, but investing in IT becomes essential if you want to progress in your field.

Whether you #freelance or work #inhouse, a few things worked wonders once I took the step to "spend" that money. You'll likely doubt it in the beginning - after all, hard-earned money is always difficult to spend. But do remember: good material is not about vanity. It's about becoming more productive, comfortable, and focused.

So let's discuss IT today. On a Monday morning, just because the end of the month is upon us and you're about to buy something you don't need instead of investing in your progress.

Let's start by being mean and generalizing here. Most writers, in particular, don't get along with computers - but it really helps if they do. So here are a few things to have:

A Decent Laptop or Desktop to Begin With

A laptop/desktop should be able to cope with a decent workload and beyond. Google Chrome, for instance, is an avid memory-processor-with-an-eating-disorder that can make any computer feel sluggish at a second's notice.

Before you go out and splash another $1,000-$1,500 (and beyond), try a different browser. I know it's a pain, but you can import passwords and others easily to Safari, Firefox, or even Edge and feel an improvement on older/sluggish systems.

If it's finally time to change because you had a brick to start with, #Apple MacBooks have a lovely keyboard, and the MacBook Air M1 is still one of the most impressive laptops I've owned. The M2 might not be worth the extra money unless you want a further step into future-proofing your office - while buying yourself something fancy.

I'm mostly a Windows guy, so I have a crush for the #ASUS Zephyrus G14 and even the ASUS Strix G513 - at 40, I don't mind flashy lights and a gaming laptop style. If you do, the #DELL XPS is still one of the best, most robust, sober machines I have ever owned.

Let's Tap the Night Away

That keyboard won't cut it, will it? You might not need an LED-flashy-bashing-through-the-snow board of aluminium and carbon by #Razer at $199 - however, try one, and you're in heaven. That wireless brick you bought for $19,99 at the supermarket - mouse included - might turn productivity into frustration, bad posture and the irresistible will to send it flying through space.

Currently, I own an average Logitech G213. It's large, cute, has some lights that go along with the mouse, and it's quite comfortable. Unfortunately, it's also up for an upgrade.

Bigger, Better, Brighter

Is a bigger, better screen all we need? It took me a while to realize I needed this, and here you can find #LG, #ASUS and even #MSI delivering outstanding performance. I'm out for a new one, and #Samsung may hit all the right notes just because I trust the brand.

I have a mid-tier 27" LG screen. It's a decent workspace, and its LCD screen still does many things right. However, this was bought ages ago when my budget was shy, and I was still struggling with the idea that investing in my freelance career was investing in myself.

Often working with at least two pages side-by-side, a low-latency IPS screen helps. Think 27" but go further if you can work with all that space available. Remember, LG has the 48" OLED C1 TV, excellent for work, gaming and multimedia. But it may look absurd standing on your desk. Think of the 42" LG OLED C24 instead, and reduce the absurdity ever so slightly.

I'd avoid curved screens or even ultra-wide options, as they sometimes don't deliver on the productivity you expect. Otherwise, the Samsung Odyssey screens are a thing of beauty.

Good quality screens are also valid for laptops before you go out and buy the first thing on sale. When it comes to maximizing your productivity, remember a laptop can run fine if you connect it to a larger screen and your brand new keyboard.

Where the Pointer Goes, I Follow

That mouse is still alive?! That's right; a good mouse can still go the extra length for desktops AND laptops. I love #Logitech for its mouses, and not so much for their mid-tier keyboards. Mouses in the $30-$40 range can revolutionize your work. The best part? You can usually grab one of these for even less.

Laptops with an excellent trackpad are widely available but ensure you research if the one you fancy won't let you down on this aspect.

Sorry, What?

Noise cancellation headphones. Got kids? Loud neighbours? Heavy traffic outside your door? Kids, again? Good headphones pay for themselves when they allow you to switch off the world for a moment, and #Sennheiser is still about getting all the right things... right! I only use these occasionally but find them very useful for high-focus tasks.

Where It All Begins

A good chair and desk. Always start here, the end. I bought a beautiful chair with decent lumbar support. But it's rubbish to sit through a long day, and I was even forced to buy a little cushion for my little tooshie.

My desk is also beautiful but poorly built, meaning I was cheap on it and now find myself with a wobbly, too-low piece of furniture that I'll have to disassemble and sell for the most reasonable possible price.

Call me old-fashioned, but I still prefer wired tech rather than wireless. Bluetooth headphones fail, wireless keyboards skip a bit or two, and even a mouse can become erratic. I enjoy having my desktop plugged to the internet router instead of Wi-Fi, and after a few thousand invested, I can't help to wonder what else could help me increase my productivity.

What would you add? What's the most "extravagant" investment you've made on IT to power your career?*

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I write about #iGaming and #Gaming #contentwriting while focusing on the #ethics of work and #parenthood in a #remotework universe. Follow me for a crying shoulder - you're not alone!

* This originally started as a Monday LinkedIn post but soon exceeded the word count limit. Besides, there's nothing quite like repurposing content, is there?