Distraction-Free Computing Experience One Month On

Posted on in Hardware, Productivity

About a month ago, I made what many would consider an unusual decision: I switched from my fully-loaded desktop computer to a Raspberry Pi 5 as my daily driver. Yes, you read that correctly. In an era of increasingly powerful hardware, I deliberately downgraded.

Why? I was finding myself constantly distracted—jumping between projects, opening unnecessary browser tabs, and generally struggling to maintain focus. I needed a change, and the idea of a purpose-built, minimal computing environment appealed to me.

My Pi 5 Setup

For context, my setup isn’t completely barebones:

  • Raspberry Pi 5 (16GB RAM model)
  • NVMe SSD connected via PCIe
  • 4K monitor running at 1080p (I prefer focusing on one task at a time with readable text over maximizing screen real estate—plus well-written classes and methods shouldn’t be long anyway!)
  • Basic keyboard and mouse
  • Running Raspberry Pi OS (the 64-bit version)

This isn’t a budget choice—the 16GB Pi 5 plus accessories isn’t exactly cheap—but rather a deliberate decision to create a focused work environment.

The Daily Experience

General Usage

For everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and email, the Pi 5 has been surprisingly capable. The 16GB of RAM makes a significant difference compared to earlier Pi models, and the NVMe SSD eliminates the storage bottleneck that SD cards created.

Basic multitasking is smooth, and I rarely notice any lag when working with documents, spreadsheets, or having multiple browser tabs open (though I deliberately try to keep these to a minimum now).

Coding Performance

As a developer, coding performance was my biggest concern. After a month of use, I can confidently say the Pi 5 is more than adequate for most development tasks:

  • Text editing/IDE performance: Excellent—VS Code runs smoothly
  • Local web development: No issues at all—Node.js, Python servers, etc. all run fine
  • Git operations: Quick and responsive
  • Compilation: Here’s where the limitations show up. Larger projects take noticeably longer to compile compared to my desktop. But I’ve started using this as a feature rather than a bug—coffee breaks are now built into my workflow!

One unexpected benefit: the slower compilation forces me to think more carefully about my code changes before hitting “build,” resulting in fewer unnecessary compilation cycles.

3D CAD Work

This is where the Pi shows its limits most clearly:

  • FreeCAD: Works adequately for simple models and basic editing
  • Complex assemblies: Definitely sluggish—operations that would be instant on my desktop take several seconds
  • Slicing for 3D printing: Functional but slow—a complex model that might slice in 30 seconds on my desktop takes 2-3 minutes on the Pi

The Unexpected Benefits

While I expected some performance tradeoffs, what I didn’t anticipate were the significant productivity improvements:

1. Improved Focus

The most dramatic change has been my ability to focus. With limited resources, I’m much more deliberate about what applications I keep open. The result is fewer distractions and deeper concentration on the task at hand.

2. More Thoughtful Computing

The Pi makes me think twice before doing things. I’ve caught myself reaching for a new browser tab and thinking “Do I really need this right now?” It’s made me more intentional about what I’m trying to accomplish instead of just mindlessly clicking around.

3. Less Digital Clutter

My desktop was a digital junkyard before this experiment. Now? I’m ruthless about cleaning up old files and organizing projects. Storage isn’t unlimited anymore, and that constraint has forced better habits. My file system hasn’t been this tidy since… well, ever.

4. Breaking the Social Media Habit

Let’s be honest - most social media sites are resource hogs. They technically work on the Pi, but the experience is just laggy enough to be annoying. This happy accident has dramatically cut down my doom-scrolling. I check in occasionally rather than having Twitter/Reddit/whatever constantly open in a background tab.

Would I Recommend It?

Look, the Pi isn’t for everyone. If you’re editing 4K video, gaming, or doing serious 3D work, you’ll probably throw this thing out a window within hours.

But you might want to give it a shot if:

  • Your attention span has been shredded by too many browser tabs
  • You’re mainly writing code or text
  • The idea of a digital minimalism experiment sounds appealing
  • You need a dedicated “focus machine” for important work

Looking Forward

A month in, and I’m sold on this weird experiment. Yeah, I lose some raw computing speed, but I’m getting way more done. The Pi is staying as my daily driver, though I’ll still fire up the desktop for those occasional tasks that need serious horsepower.

Part of me is actually curious to see how far I can push this little machine. There’s something weirdly satisfying about building real stuff on hardware that costs less than a decent office chair.

Maybe in a world obsessed with more power, more screens, and more everything, deliberately choosing constraints is the real power move. Who knew my most productive computer would be my least powerful one?

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