This thread is great, lot of good ideas from different perspectives.
I'd like to add 2 things, besides software that will make you more productive in my opinion.
First: multi-monitor configuration. At least 2 monitors, but i'd recommend 3 or more. With more than one monitor you can keep 2 things on the top, that'll make life much easier.
You can read in one monitor and apply the reading in another. I keep 1 browser in each monitor, excel files in one, word/notepad files in another.
I'm sure you can think a lot more benefits using this configuration. And make it big. I'm using one 32'' LED as a main and a 23'' LCD as second monitor, right now i don't have space in my desk to install another one, but I'm moving to a bigger house until the end of the year and than I'm going to buy 2 32'' and make an 3x 32'' array.
Second: A macro programmable keyboard. I use this:
http://www.piengineering.com/xkeys/xkpro.php
With this you can create any macro you can think of, including delays. I know you can do that with softwares, i do have Winautomation installed in my desktop but with this keyboard a can program something in a few seconds.
Really basic and stupid examples: Writing a article, you're going to need to write your main keyword a lot, you can program one key to insert the keyword in one click and if you have a really long keyword this will help a lot.
One thing that I always have macro'ed in my xkeys are the copy, paste, select all, backspace, enter key, among others. I don't know about you, but i copy and paste a lot, i mean a lot! It's much easier organize all these keys organically

on my xkeys than keeping using ctrl-everything and develping a carpal tunnel syndrome
I know that you can do all this with a normal keyboard but won't be easy as this.
BTW,right now, i just copied this whole text clicking my xkeys copy key, just to avoid to lose everything if something wrong happen when I submit.
