This is how I work.

I do not have 3 display screens or a 180-degree curve monitor to work on, but I do use an external display, it helps. I do not have an iPad to take notes, I use a notebook. Although I own a wireless headset I never use it as my gear to keep me zoned in while I work. I attend all meetings using a standard wired headset as I find it really comfortable. I do own an ergonomic chair as sitting for long hours might be painful for your back.?

My point for telling this is that movies and television have made us believe that people working a certain job have a certain lifestyle. People think if you are an engineer, trader, banker, etc you must own multiple screens so you see every graph properly, or maybe improve your code visibility. If you are of the opinion that having multiple displays is an absolute necessity for you to improve your performance, go ahead and buy it. But I believe that is never going to be the deciding factor for your efficiency.

A person with just a laptop is equally efficient to the person with multiple screens if one is really determined. Engineers get typecast as guys wearing hoodies, wireless headphones, being socially awkward, having expensive and exclusive tech gadgets. Products and fancy tech do not define who you are. You are defined by your creativity, sincerity, curiosity, willingness to help. ?

People are losing sight of what they want vs what they need? With the increased usage of social media platforms, people have started believing that they will become skilled and talented if they own a certain piece of equipment or tech. According to Forbes, 81% of consumers’ purchasing decisions are influenced by their friends’ social media posts.?Think hard on this, you could be in that 81%. People are buying for the sole reason of maintaining socioeconomic standards.?

Ask yourself the following questions:?

When was the last time you were validated by your friend for buying something exclusive??

How much has your product's utility been in the past month??

If your friend was indeed impressed by something you bought, for how long did you feel happy about it??

While reading ‘The Psychology of Money’ (highly recommend reading it), I came across a very simple yet profound chapter- Man in the Car Paradox. When you see someone driving a fancy car, you never really look at the person driving the car. When was the last time you saw a luxury car? Maybe a Ferrari, Porsche, or a BMW? Do you recall any single thing about him or her? Appearance, clothes, accessories, ethnicity, or rather anything? Probably not. But I am pretty sure you remember when and where you saw the car. People never really consider the person driving the car is cool. They assume - ‘Wow, if I had that car, people would think I am cool!’

Buying items follow the same reasoning. Whenever you come across any post on social media where people show their work or gaming setup, your first thought is never - ‘that guy is admirable’, your first thought is always - ‘I wish I had that setup’.

My point here is not to abandon the pursuit of buying products and services, I enjoy purchasing new gadgets if I intend to use them effectively. My point is before you buy anything thoroughly assess what your need is and who and what are you really buying it for??