When I first unboxed my gaming mouse, I was thinking about headshots, not spreadsheets. The high-precision sensor, programmable buttons, and RGB lighting—it all screams gaming. This is not a mouse you’ll often find at an office desk.
But after years of using various gaming mice daily, I’ve discovered something unexpected. I mapped shortcuts to mouse buttons, and my gaming mouse now flies through apps.
Why I chose a gaming mouse for work
It all started with my old Logitech G300s. Apart from the left and right click buttons, that mouse had four more programmable buttons that I usually assigned to different actions for different games. Over time, I realized that they would be useful in other programs, including those that use Windows.
As it turns out, all those “gaming” features translate incredibly well to work tasks. The added precision of a gaming mouse makes navigating complex design files or spreadsheets a breeze. Additionally, gaming mice are built to take constant beating, including rapid clicking, quick movements, and the occasional desk slam.
This durability means they handle the daily grind of office work without breaking a sweat. Gaming mice have improved in many ways over the years. You can get exceptionally well-built gaming mice for as cheap as $25.
I’ve never used two separate mice for work and gaming. But every time I use a run-of-the-mill office mouse, the experience is a letdown. Use one for extended periods of time, and you’ll quickly find yourself running into double-clicking or ghost clicking issues.
You also need to consider ergonomics. Your mouse is one of the most used peripherals, which means long hours with your hand glued to the mouse. Gaming mice tend to have great ergonomics, especially if you’re using something like the Logitech G502X or the Razer Basilisk.
They snugly fit under your palm and support your hand, all while putting multiple programmable buttons in your fingers’ reach. The contoured shape, textured side grips, and perfectly positioned thumb rest—these aren’t just gaming luxuries. They’re genuine comfort features that make long workdays much more bearable.
Finally, the ability to customize buttons to perform differently for each program you’re running is a godsend. This is especially true for creative professionals using programs like Premiere Pro or Photoshop. You can even store profiles on the mouse and carry them with you, so even if you’re working on another computer, your shortcuts are still available.
There are unique features you should look for in a gaming mouse, but most of these features are available on mice designed for office work. For example, the MX Master series from Logitech is great for office work. However, those mice aren’t nearly as good at gaming, while gaming mice perform well whether you’re sniping in an FPS game or hunting cells on a spreadsheet.
Mouse buttons are more useful than keyboard shortcuts
I might ruffle some feathers here, but I’m convinced that mouse buttons are better than keyboard shortcuts. I know that keyboard shortcuts are supposed to be the holy grail of productivity, but they can also be rather cumbersome to set up and remember in the first place.
Sure, shortcuts like Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V for copying and pasting have become muscle memory for most of us. But having dedicated copy and paste buttons on my mouse means I can move multiple files from one location to another without needing to put my coffee down.
Once you start using mouse buttons for work, you’ll realize that they’re a lot more intuitive compared to keyboard shortcuts. Not everyone can comfortably perform, or even remember, complex key combinations. Mapping a few commands to your mouse removes the need for any finger gymnastics and avoids having to constantly jump between the mouse and keyboard.
Gaming mice from reputed manufacturers also come with good software that makes it easy to create custom profiles and button mappings. Additionally, since you’re creating profiles and button assignments in one program, you don’t have to change settings in each individual program to set up your mouse either.
My G502X Plus has five programmable buttons, excluding the left and right mouse buttons. That’s five of my essential keyboard shortcuts for each program that I can map to my mouse.
When editing videos in Premiere Pro or editing photos in Photoshop, it lets me switch between tools as I move my cursor around on the screen. It might not sound like much of a difference, but you won’t be able to go back the second you try it.
Even when I’m not using any specialized programs, I can control media on my computer using my mouse buttons. If you’ve ever switched tabs or programs during an intense research or work session to switch tracks or pause a video, moving those controls to the mouse makes the whole process a lot faster. Windows shortcuts that can save you hours can be mapped to your mouse to save even more time.
The workflow benefits are massive. With programmable mouse buttons, everything you need is right there. You stay in the zone longer, make fewer mistakes, and honestly, it just feels more natural.
I used to be skeptical about gaming peripherals in professional settings. Flashy designs with RGB plastered all over them look out of place in a conference room. The best work tools come from unexpected places—and sometimes, what’s designed for play turns out to be perfect for productivity.
