Programming is a challenging activity. The last thing you need is bad surrounding to make the experience distasteful. The niceness of the environment in which you work in goes a long way to increase productivity, makes the task less strenuous and also guarantee overall good health. There is no approved standard for what a programming environment should look like. Programming can be done from anywhere, as long as there’s a workable computer at hand. This doesn’t mean the environment should be ignored. A great programming environment should have:
1. Space
Don’t be satisfied with a small desk which can only fit your computer and nothing else. You need desk space. Maybe for the pen and notepad, you should keep next to your computer for writing down stuff. Coding involves a lot of typing. As such, the wrist should be supported and line up with the keyboard. A small desk with no space for the wrists will put stress on this part of the body. The uncomfortable pains which follow will reduce productivity.
2. A seat
Not just any seat. An ergonomically designed seat. No need to go for anything too fancy. All you need a seat that lines your elbows with the desk and provides a part to lean you back. Good posture should not be undermined. Slouching will bring about spine damage, which results in menacing backaches. A seat which is soft on your backside and which also compels you to sit upright is exactly what you should look for.
3. Proper lighting
Sure, your computer’s screen is bright, but you need the light anyway. Why you may ask. For your eyes. The eyes are delicate, and sitting by a screen all day brings about visual issues in the long run. Find yourself spending a lot of time in front of a screen? More than likely you need a blue light filter to protect your eyes from long term exposure. Try this test for your blue light glasses and see if they are working correctly. During the day, let sunlight stream in through the windows. At night, keep the bulb on. Although there’s little evidence proving using a computer in the dark destroys eyes sight, it does have the tendency to bring eye fatigue quickly.
4. Silence
The only voices you need to hear are those of your team members if at all you have a team. Otherwise, then isolate yourself and cut out the noise. You need absolute focus. There should be silence in the workspace, giving the brain a good condition for proper and effective thinking.
Recall that there is no standard ideal environment. Simply find that which is ergonomically-friendly, and which boosts your personal productivity.