So much of what we do at MerusCase involves consulting with our new clients on their current processes in order to make sure their firms are as effective as possible. Something that we constantly see during our in-person trainings? Brilliant legal professionals are not-so-brilliantly limiting themselves to one, teeny-tiny, square screen with which to complete their work. Why is this not a great idea, you ask? It's simple: two screens are better than one.

Having dual monitors increases productivity.

Countless studies have shown that utilizing two monitors is proven to increase productivity by up to 50% for some tasks. [1] Think about it: if you're copying and pasting data or quickly moving between tabs and windows, wouldn't it be nice to be able to see everything you need to work on at exactly the same time? Adding a second monitor to your workstation is hands-down the fastest, easiest, and least expensive way to make your workday measurably less painful.

With a single monitor, every time a new window is brought up on the screen, your eyes and brain need to reorient themselves. [2] Have you ever looked at something in one window, with the intention of retyping it it in another, only to forget what you were trying to type? Happens to me all the time -- that's your mental processing being disrupted by the change of view on your screen. With two monitors, you don't have to worry about that problem, eliminating those precious seconds of wasted time.

The one-time expense of new monitors will save you thousands in productivity.

A pretty standard monitor will run you $150 or less as a one-time investment. Of course, if we're talking about adding a monitor for everyone in your firm, these costs add up. But what if these dual monitors really do increase your firm's productivity by 30-50%? This means that your office will be completing, across the board, 30-50% more work each and every day at the same exact paygrade. For the one-time cost of $150 per person, this seems like a no-brainer.

Having dual monitors facilitates a paperless office workflow.

If your firm is using a cloud-based system like MerusCase (or is trying to go paperless), adding a second monitor is the best way to increase productivity while simultaneously cutting down on the amount of paper that needs to be printed in order to perform daily tasks. With a second monitor, there's no need to print out your calendar, as you can have it open on your second screen while you work through scheduling on your first. If you're performing client intake, you can easily take memos on one screen and fill out your client intake case type at the same time. No need to handwrite notes and copy them into Merus later -- having 2 screens makes it easy to complete both tasks at once.

It's a good idea to implement a firm-wide standard for monitors.

In our office, we've standardized the process of buying monitors, which enables us to cut back on the types of connectors and such that we need to have on-hand when we add monitors to our workstations. We always look for IPS LED monitors with HDMI input and a frameless design (which is lighter), somewhere between 21" and 23" in size. Why? This ensures that, as we add new monitors to our office, we don't have to worry too much about picking up the right cables or trying to match up sizes and designs. (It's also easier to remember how to set them up if you use the same method each time!) 

Are dual monitors a staple at your law firm? If so, how have they impacted your productivity?