A quote I commend is: “You don’t rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.”
This week has been a systems week (see also Work Office: coming on like a slow chess match), induced by the begrudging acceptance that my old desktop is past its best and long past being able to perform at the level I need. In fact, it had slowed to a crawl, making it barely usable at times.
Rather than repair or replace it, I switched to using other computers, and my desk became a cluttered mess of portable screens and laptops. As can be seen in the picture below, this left no room for non-digital data (aka paperwork), which I also rely on.
Ultimately, I decided to invest significantly in my productivity and indeed, quality of life. I spend more time in this corner of my house than anywhere else aside from my bed. It will add up to many years by the time I retire, so why not equip it with state-of-the-art tools?
After buying this house less than two years ago I’m still in the “hemorrhaging cash” phase, making me reluctant to invest in new technology. Sitting here now though I have no regrets, as these new machines seem primed for an interstellar age.
I work much faster and enjoy my work more. Money well spent surely?!
2026 Updates
The new “mothership”:
HP OmniStudio X 31.5″ All-in-One PC – Intel® Core™ Ultra 7, 32GB, 2TB – HP Store UK
A new tablet (with keyboard and pen attachments so it’s fit for work and leisure):
https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/p/tablets/idea-tab-series/lenovo-idea-tab-pro/len103l0026
Messy “before time”
After…
Dr Martin James 