---
title: 'You Need A Stream Deck! The Secret To My Productivity Working From Home'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=nrWRzYYC1rE'
video_id: 'nrWRzYYC1rE'
date: 2026-06-15
duration_sec: 0
---

# You Need A Stream Deck! The Secret To My Productivity Working From Home

> Source: [You Need A Stream Deck! The Secret To My Productivity Working From Home](https://youtube.com/watch?v=nrWRzYYC1rE)

## Summary

The Elgato Stream Deck, originally designed for gamers and streamers, is a powerful productivity tool for anyone. This video explores how it can be used to automate tasks, control apps, and streamline workflows, especially for remote workers and creators.

### Key Points

- **Stream Deck Overview** [00:00] — The Stream Deck is a programmable macro pad with LCD buttons that can control your computer and apps with custom settings.
- **Versions Available** [00:28] — There are three versions: Mini (6 keys), Original (15 keys), and XL (more keys). The Mark II version has an improved form factor and custom fascias.
- **Easy Setup** [02:00] — Plug into Mac/PC, download software, and start programming buttons for tasks like opening apps, web pages, or complex multi-actions.
- **Profiles and Folders** [02:29] — Profiles allow automatic switching of button layouts based on context or app, providing more than 15 buttons without manual switching.
- **Custom Notion Control Deck** [03:07] — The creator built a custom Notion control deck to speed up workflow, with templates linked in the description.
- **Plugin Store and Customization** [03:20] — The web store offers plugins (e.g., Spotify shows album art) and icon packs. Users can also create custom buttons with the button editor.
- **Productivity Use Cases** [04:13] — Key uses include: home screen for work modes, home automation via IFTTT, audio device switching, video call automation (opens Zoom, webcam, key light, switches profile), email management with text insert, and video editing shortcuts.
- **Advanced Features** [06:44] — Third-party plugins (e.g., Pomodoro timer from GitHub) and startup/shutdown routines. Caution advised for downloads from trusted sources.

### Conclusion

The Stream Deck is a versatile productivity tool that can save time and streamline workflows for remote workers and creators, offering extensive customization and automation capabilities.

## Transcript

[Music]
i'm currently upgrading my work from
home desk setup and this week i bought
one of these it's a stream deck by
elgato as the name suggests it was made
for gamers and online streamers and well
i don't do either
so why are we talking about it well this
little thing might be about to become
your new favorite productivity tool
launch apps control video calls create
custom app control panels multi-action
automations does it all and for you
notion fans out there i've not forgotten
you i've even created a custom notion
work pad
how about that hi everyone welcome back
to the channel if you are new here i'm
simon and on better creating i'm
collecting great ideas and tools to
simplify productivity and creative life
and in just a few days this stream deck
has already done just that even though
elgato released the stream deck back in
2017 to become a permanent fixture for
streamers and gamers i think it remains
lesser known and kind of underrated
amongst many other creators and
productivity types like us so here's how
it works and some of the amazing use
cases for productivity that i am loving
this isn't sponsored i just bought it
myself with my own money to share the
potential this offers with you
if you've not heard of it the stream
deck is a programmable macro pad with
lcd buttons that can be programmed to
control your computer and favorite apps
with almost infinite custom settings
there is a mini version with six keys uh
the original 15k version which i think
most people should get rather than the
smaller key one once you realize the
potential you will want it and there's
an updated version two a mark two of
that which is the one i've got released
in july 2021 with an improved form
factor you can change out the fascia for
custom fascias and a couple of other
little tweaks but essentially it does
the same thing and there is an xl for
more serious automators and streamers
i didn't feel i needed that but you know
it's a little bit more expensive as well
if you're just trying this out you
simply plug it into your mac or pc click
the welcome button download the software
and you're good to go essentially you
can program buttons to do different
tasks from simply opening apps or your
favorite web pages really great for
things like opening emails to more
complex tasks like assigning hotkey
functions for certain apps or
multi-actions that can set custom work
profiles for your favorite tasks in the
click of a button speaking of clicking
buttons make sure to hit this one down
there it goes a really long way to
support the channel now you can create
folders within each page for extra space
but i much prefer using profiles these
can be pre-determined views that can
help you group buttons by context or app
so you can automatically switch between
different profiles when you are doing
certain tasks or in certain applications
which means you aren't limited to just
15 buttons and the deck will intuitively
change when you are in certain apps and
modes the interface is actually
surprisingly intuitive to use and i
found customizing the deck this week and
setting it up actually really easy and
the piezo resistance of my messing with
it this week a completely custom notion
control deck that's helping me speed up
my notion workflow and template builds
templates linked below if you don't know
about those there's a web store where
you can download plugins from your
favorite apps
and even button icon packs to go with
them the spotify plugin is particularly
pleasing for the fact that it shows
album artwork when a track is playing
sexy
i've also enjoyed using their button
editor to create my own custom buttons
for my notion board but you can also
just find logos on the web or use your
favorite icon packs that you've
downloaded
if you want a bit more of a minimal
custom look if you've seen my minimal
ipad and iphone setup videos i'm using
the same icons from those in this to
give my whole system a coherent look now
beyond the obvious uses for streamers
and content creators such as switching
cameras soundboards sending messages and
managing twitch or obs accounts here are
the best productivity use cases i've
discovered for screen deck so far with a
quick tour of my own setup building a
home screen for different work modes has
to be number one for productivity you
can jump to key tasks this is the main
page that mostly either switches custom
profiles for me or opens specific apps
files folders or web pages this is my
better creating button which switches to
a folder within it which then gives me
access to a view of all the things i use
for better creating you'll see links to
all of my favorite apps so notion to my
squarespace website
this one will open up let's have a
little look the review is where i
run my newsletter from
let's close that
pretty clever
and then you can jump directly to
websites as well so either to search the
web or for example to go to
youtube simple as that
the next use case is home automation
like lighting or heating controls there
is a free plug-in for if this then that
which is um ifttt pretty great for
simple automation of your home there are
also plugins for controlling your audio
input and output devices which of course
are free for example flipping quickly
between headphones and speakers great
for when i'm editing you can even create
multi-action buttons to build more
complex automations controlling video
calls and setting up intuitive shortcut
buttons to do so i have a multi-action
that opens zoom opens my fuji webcam
software turns on my key light and then
switches to zoom controls in that
profile yes
all of that is possible with this device
that's literally saving me five to ten
minutes every time i jump on a work call
managing regular emails and admin jump
straight to emails and even inserting
pre-written reply content is really
brilliant using the text insert function
for productivity workflows if you're
wanting to manage regular communication
that ability to insert pre-written stuff
you know i have regular similar
questions about my notion templates and
i can now do it in less time faster
shortcut workflows now my notion editing
board it uses this text insert function
to create a faster workflow in notion
i use it to automate all those forward
slash functions and then to
automatically press return on those
functions in one button click normally
you would have to do this
i'm now doing this i'll likely do a
follow-up video on using it specifically
with notion soon so make sure you're
subscribed if you want more of that
goodness i'm also finding stream deck
absolutely brilliant for simplifying my
video editing in final cut pro you can
download a free icon deck
for it from our garters website and then
program the hotkeys and shortcuts that
you want my film button also
automatically opens the program and
jumps to this profile
it's great for startup and shutting down
routines as well or even more simply i
find this button that activates command
q brilliant for quickly shutting
applications for more advanced users
there are a ton of third-party custom
plugins on platforms such as github to
create things like pomodoro counters
youtube subscriber counts and all the
rest i've actually got a focused button
where i can click into it and it just
gives me my music and a pomodoro counter
which i got off github you can press it
to set the number of the minutes you
want to work
and the alarm will go off now just be
careful with third-party things to
download from sites you trust so if you
want to try out the stream deck and you
don't you own one please click the links
below use my affiliate links it really
helps the channel out and comment below
let me know what you make of all of this
any other suggestions of how you can use
this tool you should watch this video
next for more on using notion and other
great apps to improve your creative and
productive workflow i'll see you on the
next one
bye
[Music]