Todays interview is with full time IT student Adrian Brunner. My favorite part of his setup is the neat integration of the whiteboard next to his desk. Perfect for quick breaks were you can switch your posture and stand up and use the time for taking notes. I hope all of you students who work in the creative field get some inspiration out of his setup. Enjoy.
Who are you and what do you do for a living?
My name is Adrian and I’m a full time student. I study Business IT at the University of Applied Sciences in Bern. Besides writing creepy Java Applications I currently try myself programming Ruby on Rails applications.
Can you tell me something about your desk setup?
I like to have my desk cleaned up like this. Unforunately this state of cleanliness I have to restore about once a month. Nevertheless I think I have a good work enviroment. The huge Asus monitor helps me look at different documents at once which is good for working on my assignments.
Is there anything you would like to improve on this setup?
I really need a new chair because I like to sit comfortably. The one I have at the moment is too old to show ;-) I also think about getting a standing desk extension. Currently i need to go to the kitchen to have a work environment where I can stand.
Do you switch workspaces during your day? If yes, what’s the reason behind it?
Sometimes I like to switch to the bed or to the living room. In the living room we’ve got a comfy beanbag chair. I like to relax there after eating or to look at the fire in our fireplace.
Do you have a favourite item on your desk?
I love my whiteboard. I can quickly draw something or take notes. There is enough space and you can erase things easily.
What are you doing to stay focused?
Listen to classical piano, drink water or coffee and from time to time eat a little bit of chocolate.
Is there something on your desk which helps you stay focused? What is it?
Mostly I have a glass of water or a cup of coffee next to me. But I’m thinking about getting a poster to help me stay more focused and motivated.
What was your latest self improvement experiment?
I started to write down the important stuff from the lectures into my notebook. I think it’s a more efficient way of note taking than just writing it down on my laptop.
Where do you see yourself and your desk in the next 5 years?
That’s difficult to say. Since I’m (hopefully) out of university by 2016 I expect that I’ll live in another place with a different setup. However, I’d love to have components of my setup to stick around for the next 5 years. Especially my mouse.
