Efficient doesn't mean minimal — it means nothing on your desk is fighting for the same job. Your monitor's top edge should sit at eye level; if you're stacking books under it, a proper monitor mount pays for itself in neck pain avoided.

Keep your mouse and keyboard at the same height and close enough that your elbows stay near your sides, not reaching. A wrist rest isn't decorative — it's the difference between a two-hour session and a two-hour session with numb fingers.

Lighting matters more than people think: a light bar behind your monitor kills eye strain from screen glare far better than a bright overhead light.