In order to be as productive as possible with JDeveloper, you need the following:
A large screen area
To work effectively with Version Control
To use a task/issue tracking system
To focus on one task at a time
To integrate other support tools into your workflow
When you start working with JDeveloper, you are likely to find that your screen is too small. If you are wasting time minimizing and resizing panels, you need a bigger screen. Get at least a 1600 x 1200 resolution, preferably bigger (or even better, get two). With the current monitor prices, the payback time for extra screen area can be calculated in weeks.
Research from the University of Utah compared an 18-inch monitor, a 24-inch monitor, and two 20-inch monitors. They found that users with a 24-inch monitor completed tasks 52 percent faster, and people using two 20-inch monitors were 44 percent faster than the people with the 18-inch monitor.