A couple years ago, I had a conversation with a coworker about how many computer monitors lead to the most efficient work space. At the time my desk looked like an airplane cockpit with three monitors and my coworker enjoyed using two monitors. Ultimately, we decided each set-up fulfilled our individual productivity needs.

At Innovatively Organized, our team often works with clients to determine how many monitors will make them more efficient. Here are some of the questions to ask yourself as you determine how many computer monitors will make you the most productive:

1. How big is your desk? The first step is to take stock of how much space you have on your desk. It may sound simple, but measure your desk to visualize how much space your monitors will take up.
2. What is your budget? The reality is that monitors cost money. There are some great deals online and they certainly aren’t as expensive as they used to be, but small businesses will certainly want to take budget into consideration.
3. How many programs do you have open at once? Depending on your industry and job description, you may have anywhere from two to fifteen programs open at one time on your computer. Pay attention to how many programs you usually have open at one time. If you’re constantly switching between windows it may be time to add another display.
4. Are you easily distracted? While it is nice to see multiple programs at once, it can also be very distracting to see emails popping up in your inbox, new tweets appearing in your feed, etc. If you are easily distracted, you may want to limit the number of computer monitors you use because it will likely make you less productive in the long run.

What are your thoughts? How many computer monitors do you use and would adding another one make you more productive?