Core Setup

The core of my desk setup consists of an UPLIFT standing desk and a Herman Miller Sayl desk chair. I love the standing desk. The push-button controls and multiple saved heights make it easy to switch between my ideal seated and standing positions. I typically stand up at some point in the morning and stay standing until just before lunch, at which point I transition to a seated position for the rest of the day or relocate to another area of my house for a change of scenery.

The Sayl chair is great, but I've discovered one minor drawback: the rubber mesh on the back is large enough to catch the buttons on the back of some pants. If you're not careful, they can get snagged and ripped off entirely as you sit down. As a result, I keep a blanket draped over the back of the chair, which eliminates the issue.

Dual-Device Workflow

For the past 12 months, we've been working with a client that requires all work on their projects to be done on a company-provided laptop. At the same time, I work with other clients using my personal laptop. Switching between two machines throughout the day took some getting used to, but with a few adjustments to my desk setup, I've made it seamless.

I like having both laptops open and visible at my desk. If a Slack notification pops up on the laptop I'm not actively using, I want to be able to see it and respond quickly without completely shifting my focus. My two mStand laptop stands are perfect for this. They keep both devices elevated and accessible, allowing me to use their built-in keyboards and trackpads for quick responses without disrupting my workflow.

Connectivity Solution

To simplify switching between devices, I use an Anker 575 docking station. With a single USB-C connection, I can instantly switch all my peripherals—including my external display, keyboard, mouse, webcam, and headphones—between the two laptops. The dock also powers the connected laptop, making setup and transitions effortless. One key advantage for me is having my headphones and webcam connected to the dock. I prefer wired headphones and frequently jump between meetings on both devices, so being able to move a single cable and have the correct camera, headphones, and microphone automatically recognized is a huge convenience.