My breadboard is about 15 feet away from my computer. I often find that after I update the microcontroller at the computer and then walk back over to the breadboard, on the carpet, with socks, I sometimes get a noticable static shock when I go to flip the switch back to run mode, or if I touch anything else on the breadboard.

Lately I've been trying to remember to touch the ground post on the power supply first (I'm running a lab-type power supply, not battery power). It still hurts, and I don't always remember and sometimes the circuit gets a shock.

I know it's doing unpleasant things to the circuit because I've seen LED displays change values, etc., in response to the pulse.

What's the best way to guard against static discharge harming the components? I've seen the antistatic wrist straps with the alligator clip for attaching to ground, but they're not long enough to go back and forth. I've seen antistatic mats, but they seem pretty expensive.

Lots of things you can do to eliminate static problems...

Go barefoot.

Rip out the carpet.

Strap a ground lead to you (just splice in more wire)

Turn up the humidity.

Move to the tropics where the humidity is already high.

Make a hat out of foil... No... That's a different problem.

In all honesty, I would just rearrange things so they can be closer and do away with the 15 foot march from locations.

Mongo