5 Ways I Use My iPad at My Desk
Lately, I’ve been noticing several posts online about people abandoning their iPads and Android tablets, claiming that they just don’t use them enough.
This baffles me, as I can’t imagine not having my iPad by my side. My iPad has become an essential part of my everyday life, particularly for my workflow, that ditching it seems unthinkable.
But, how do I use it at my desk?
In this article, I’ll share five ways I use my iPad at my desk, and how each way helps me stay more productive, organised and creative.
So without any further ado, here are five ways I use my iPad at my desk…
1. An Additional monitor
I currently have a dual screen setup with my MacBook Air. I was able to achieve this with the help of the BenQ beCreatus DP1310 hybrid docking station.
Still, there are times when two screens just don’t cut it. It turns out that my iPad Pro makes a perfect third monitor. When needed, I can wirelessly extend my MacBook display with my iPad Pro, and it works incredibly well.
I agree that for many people, two monitors are more than enough, but sometimes when I’m working on projects that require more room, it comes in handy.
I tend to use this feature a lot when doing research for my content or when I’m following tutorials or online courses.
2. Taking Notes
Speaking about tutorials and online courses, I also use my iPad Pro as a note-taking device.
When I’m at my desk, I like to take notes in three different ways depending on the types of notes I am taking.
The main way I tend to take notes is with my Apple Pencil, I find that this approach tends to work best for most scenarios. I invested in a PaperLike screen protector, which makes writing more enjoyable.
The second way I take notes at my desk is by extending my MacBook display to my iPad and taking digital notes. This works great for when I’m using software such as Microsoft Word for taking notes as it allows me to keep everything in one place.
I tend to do this a lot when I need to expand on my notes at a later date or convert the notes into a report.
The third way is simply by using it as a standalone digital note-taking device. I use my Logitech MX Keys keyboard to switch input from my MacBook or Windows laptop to the iPad for taking notes.
I primarily use my iPad in this way when using a Windows or Linux device, or when I don’t have a need to extend my screen. I also use this method for quick note-taking.
As a whole, my iPad Pro has helped me become paperless, which has helped me become more organised.
3. Following Guides
As someone who works in IT, there are often times where I find myself following guides and documentation.
Whether it’s for my home lab, my day job or when I’m working on a project, the iPad turns out to be excellent for this sort of thing. I can annotate with my Apple Pencil, and I can keep my primary screens free for the project.
The size of the iPad makes it ideal to have under my monitors, allowing me to comfortably follow guides while working on my primary two monitors. For those interested, I’m currently using an 11-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation.
In my current desk setup, I have a monitor stand under my desk that features a stand for either a tablet or a phone. I find that it works great for my iPad, particularly when following guides or extending my screen from my MacBook.
4. Research
The iPad turns out to be an exceptional device for research, particularly if you have an Apple Pencil.
I used an iPad heavily for this sort of thing when I was at university, as it allowed me to keep everything together in one place. I was able to highlight and annotate books and academic literature without having to print it off and remember to take it in with me into the lecture.
Today, I primarily conduct research for projects and content. Being able to annotate articles and academic papers directly on my iPad not only keeps me organised but also makes it easier to revisit key points in the future.
5. Watching videos, tutorials, and webinars
Lastly, I use my iPad for watching videos and webinars while I’m using the other monitors in my desk setup for working on projects.
Whenever I watch video tutorials, I prefer to use my iPad, leaving my other screens free for project work.
When doing online courses, I tend to watch the course on my iPad, which allows me to work on a lab on one monitor while, taking notes and screenshots on the other monitor.
This approach also works great for watching webinars.
In my spare time, I use my iPad to watch YouTube videos while doing other tasks on my MacBook. For example, I’m currently working on organising files on my NAS server, which can be an incredibly boring task, but watching YouTube videos in the background, helps with that.
Final Thoughts
The truth of the matter is that there are many other cool ways in which you can use your iPad at your desk. These are just five of the ways in which I use my iPad.
But outside of that, I use my iPad as a media consumption device, I use it for reading books and I even use it to plan my week.
When I’m not at my desk, my iPad is my primary device for content creation. I use my iPad for writing blog posts with the help of a keyboard case and the Ulysses app. I even use it for light video editing with iMovie.
How do you use your iPad at your desk? Share your thoughts in the comments!