I already had a laptop, interface, mic, camera, etc. at home, so I could work on audio projects, podcasts and other content, even when I was not at the studio. I also had some guitars at home, so I could capture ideas. 

Of course, I could have bought better gear to try and prove my results and that's what most people do when they want to upgrade their setup. While that definitely would have been fun, the actual improvements to the quality of my work would have been very very small.

So instead, I decided to buy things that make a real difference and set up everything in a way that enables me to work faster with less effort and thinking required. This lets me be creative immediately and saves my mental bandwidth for things that actually matter.

I bought:
(some of the following are affiliate links. Nothing changes for you, but I get a small commission if you buy. Thanks!)

• An 11-port active USB hub, so my dongles and drives could always be connected and my phone and iPad quickly charged without having to plug them into the wall under the table.
• An active laptop cooling stand (makes a huge difference with my MacBook Pro and puts the display at an ideal height for me)
• A dummy battery for my camera, so it can stay plugged in and I never have to charge it 
• A goose neck that enables me to quickly and easily move my ring light around
• A mic arm that holds my Antelope Axino Synergy Core USB mic, which is always plugged in and ready to go
• An Elgato Cam Link and short HDMI cable that connect my camera to my laptop, so I can record directly to the computer without having to use a card in the camera, transfer files, etc. I can also use my good camera as a webcam because of this.
• A great wireless keyboard that feels good, is durable, has the Mac layout and is fun to work with
• A headphone stand to hold my Ollo Audio S4X headphones on the table without everything becoming a mess.
• Subscriptions to all sorts of office supplies that are delivered automatically and regularly
• Neatly organized in-trays, files and folders
• A wireless printer that has a built in tank instead of individual cartridges and lasts super long without having to get new ink. Saves money, headaches and time.
• Elgato Stream Deck iPad app to control my computer and DAW in a much faster and more efficient way

I hope this inspires you to speed up your workflow and eliminate the tedious, boring stuff, so you can get to be creative right away, every day.

-Benedikt

PS: If you're looking for an amazing community to get feedback from and provide your own expertise for, check out The Self-Recording Band Community. It's 100% free and can be the growth accelerator you've been missing all the time.

PPS: Downloading one of our free guides and joining our email list is also a great way to connect with your peers, as we will invite you to events and keep you in the loop about what's going on in our community. For example, we host amazing video meetups and help people improve their recordings, arrangements and mixes by listening and giving collective feedback live on the call. Join us now!