A question I’m asked from time to time is whether computers should be left on all the time or turned off.
When left alone your computer should eventually go to sleep and often eventually into a state of hibernation – if it’s been set up properly.
Closing your laptop lid can have the same effect.
At these times power consumption is vastly reduced (zero in the case of hibernation).
Doing this means that your computer is quickly up and ready next time you use it instead of spending a couple of minutes going through the start up procedure.
I leave my laptop on all the time but it does hibernate overnight and during quiet periods in the day. To save energy and as a safety feature, I turn off the charger (at the mains) overnight.
Obviously if you are going away or out of the office for a few days or at the weekend – or indeed at any time when the computer is unattended for 24 hours or more – then I strongly recommend turning all equipment off both at the device and at the mains.
Also do not leave your laptop charging overnight.
Whatever you do, restart your computer at least once a week.
It will do no harm (and will save on power) to turn off monitor and printers when they are no longer needed for the day.