I inverted the number row on my keyboard - meaning that pressing the keys produces symbols by default, and I type numbers by holding shift. As a programmer I use symbols frequently, so I think that this will be advantageous. Here are the details of my configuration.

1. xmodmap .f90

!
! Invert number row
!
! This changes the behavior of keys in the number row, but does not
! affect the number pad.
!
keycode  10 = exclam 1 1 exclam
keycode  11 = at 2 2 at
keycode  12 = numbersign 3 3 numbersign
keycode  13 = dollar 4 4 dollar
keycode  14 = percent 5 5 percent
keycode  15 = asciicircum 6 6 asciicircum dead_circumflex dead_circumflex dead_circumflex
keycode  16 = ampersand 7 7 ampersand
keycode  17 = asterisk 8 8 asterisk
keycode  18 = parenleft 9 9 parenleft dead_grave NoSymbol dead_grave
keycode  19 = parenright 0 0 parenright

!
! Normal number row
!
! Comment the above block and uncomment this one to return to the
! original number row behavior.
!
! keycode  10 = 1 exclam 1 exclam
! keycode  11 = 2 at 2 at
! keycode  12 = 3 numbersign 3 numbersign
! keycode  13 = 4 dollar 4 dollar
! keycode  14 = 5 percent 5 percent
! keycode  15 = 6 asciicircum 6 asciicircum dead_circumflex dead_circumflex dead_circumflex
! keycode  16 = 7 ampersand 7 ampersand
! keycode  17 = 8 asterisk 8 asterisk
! keycode  18 = 9 parenleft 9 parenleft dead_grave NoSymbol dead_grave
! keycode  19 = 0 parenright 0 parenright

! These mappings are based on the defaults for my keyboard layout.  You
! can get the default mappings for your keyboard with the command:
!
!     xmodmap -pke
!
! I recommend saving the output in a file for reference.

!
! Bonus: change Caps_Lock to Control_L and change the original Control_L
! to Hyper_L
!
clear      lock
clear   control
clear      mod1
clear      mod2
clear      mod3
clear      mod4
clear      mod5
keycode      66 = Control_L
keycode      37 = Hyper_L
add     control = Control_L Control_R
add        mod1 = Alt_L Alt_R Meta_L
add        mod2 = Num_Lock
add        mod3 = Hyper_L
add        mod4 = Super_L Super_R
add        mod5 = Mode_switch ISO_Level3_Shift

2. xmonad.hs

-- Excerpts from my xmonad configuration:

-- *snip* --

import XMonad
import qualified Data.Map as M

-- *snip* --

myKeys conf@(XConfig {XMonad.modMask = modMask}) = M.fromList $

  -- I wanted to continue using the same shortcuts to change workspaces
  -- in xmonad with an inverted number row.  So I created additional
  -- shortcuts based on symbols.
  --
  -- For example, this makes Alt-@ do the some thing that Alt-2 does.
  -- It does the same for Alt-Shift-@ and Alt-Shift-2.
  [((m .|. modMask, k), windows $ f i)
      | (i, k) <- zip (XMonad.workspaces conf) symbols
      , (f, m) <- [(W.view, 0), (W.shift, shiftMask)]]
  ++

  -- This defines the default shortcuts for changing workspaces:
  --
  -- mod-[1..9], Switch to workspace N
  -- mod-shift-[1..9], Move client to workspace N
  [((m .|. modMask, k), windows $ f i)
      | (i, k) <- zip (XMonad.workspaces conf) [xK_1 .. xK_9]
      , (f, m) <- [(W.view, 0), (W.shift, shiftMask)]]

  where
    symbols :: [KeySym]
    symbols = [ xK_exclam
              , xK_at
              , xK_numbersign
              , xK_dollar
              , xK_percent
              , xK_asciicircum
              , xK_ampersand
              , xK_asterisk
              , xK_parenleft
              , xK_parenright ]

-- It is important that the symbols above are listed in the same order
-- that they appear on my number row.

-- You can find the full list of key identifiers in:
-- http://xmonad.org/xmonad-docs/X11/src/Graphics-X11-Types.html

-- *snip* --

main = do
  -- *snip* --
  xmonad $ defaultConfig {
    -- *snip* --
    keys = \c -> myKeys c `M.union` myOtherKeys c
    -- *snip* --
  }

-- My full configuration is available at:
-- https://github.com/hallettj/dot-xmonad/blob/master/home/.xmonad/xmonad.hs

3. tmux.conf .sh

# Excerpts from my tmux configuration:

# I wanted to continue to use the same shortcuts for changing windows in
# tmux with the inverted number row.  So I created additional shortcuts
# that mimic the behavior of the number-based shortcuts:
bind ')' select-window -t :0
bind '!' select-window -t :1
bind '@' select-window -t :2
bind '#' select-window -t :3
bind '$' select-window -t :4
bind '%' select-window -t :5
bind '^' select-window -t :6
bind '&' select-window -t :7
bind '*' select-window -t :8
bind '(' select-window -t :9

# I use vi keys, and I often use 0 to jump to the beginning of a line in
# copy mode.  With this extra shortcut I can continue to do so without
# having to hold Shift.
bind-key -t vi-copy ')' start-of-line

# My full configuration is available at:
# https://github.com/hallettj/dot-files/blob/master/home/.tmux.conf

4. vimrc .vim

" Excerpts from my Vim configuration:

" I often use 0 to jump to the beginning of a line.  With mapping I can
" continue to use the same shortcut with an inverted number row.
nnoremap ) 0

" By default Vim binds ) to a movement that goes forward a sentence at
" a time.  I don't really use that movement.  But if I want to start
" I might set up these mappings to preserve the original bindings:
nnoremap 0 )
nnoremap 9 (

" By using `nnoremap` instead of `nmap` I can swap keys like that
" without getting into an infinite loop.

" My full configuration is available at:
" https://github.com/hallettj/dot-vim/blob/master/home/.vimrc

5. zshrc .sh

# Excerpts from my Zsh configuration:

# As with Vim, I often use 0 to jump to the beginning of a line in Zsh,
# and I want to use the same shortcut with the inverted number row.
bindkey -a ')' vi-digit-or-beginning-of-line

# My full configuration is available at:
# https://github.com/hallettj/dot-zsh/blob/master/home/.zshrc
# https://github.com/hallettj/dot-zsh/blob/master/home/.config/zsh.d/60-key-bindings

6. irssi_config .sh

# Excerpts from my irssi configuration:

keyboard = (
  # Alternative shortcuts for changing windows that work well with
  # inverted number row.
  { key = "meta-!"; id = "change_window"; data = "1"; },
  { key = "meta-@"; id = "change_window"; data = "2"; },
  { key = "meta-#"; id = "change_window"; data = "3"; },
  { key = "meta-$"; id = "change_window"; data = "4"; },
  { key = "meta-%"; id = "change_window"; data = "5"; },
  { key = "meta-^"; id = "change_window"; data = "6"; },
  { key = "meta-&"; id = "change_window"; data = "7"; },
  { key = "meta-*"; id = "change_window"; data = "8"; },
  { key = "meta-("; id = "change_window"; data = "9"; },

  # I rebind the default window-changing shortcuts second so that the
  # titles in my window list continue to be labeled with numbers.
  # Without this part my windows are labeled with symbols instead.
  { key = "meta-1"; id = "change_window"; data = "1"; },
  { key = "meta-2"; id = "change_window"; data = "2"; },
  { key = "meta-3"; id = "change_window"; data = "3"; },
  { key = "meta-4"; id = "change_window"; data = "4"; },
  { key = "meta-5"; id = "change_window"; data = "5"; },
  { key = "meta-6"; id = "change_window"; data = "6"; },
  { key = "meta-7"; id = "change_window"; data = "7"; },
  { key = "meta-8"; id = "change_window"; data = "8"; },
  { key = "meta-9"; id = "change_window"; data = "9"; }
);

# My full configuration is available at:
# https://github.com/hallettj/dot-files/blob/master/home/.irssi/config

7. inputrc .sh

# Excerpts from my Readline configuration.  For information about
# Readline see:
# http://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/php/chet/readline/rltop.html

set editing-mode vi
set blink-matching-paren on
$if mode=vi
    set keymap vi-command
    ")": beginning-of-line  # As with Vim and Zsh, I use 0 to jump to the start of lines.

    set keymap vi-insert
    # Insert-mode bindings go here.
$endif

# My full configuration is available at:
# https://github.com/hallettj/dot-zsh/blob/master/home/.inputrc