How should you set up your desk?

How to arrange a desk and its gear for study and work (laptop mode, monitors, lighting, cable management, what to keep on it).

Axis: a minimal desk around one laptop … an elaborate multi-monitor setup

Answers by date: 10 records in 9 sources, newest first; the answers above are the current ones. The advice was refined (2018, 2019, 2020), never reversed, in these records.

date	who	answer	source
2020-11-22	Ali	The Herman Miller man who delivered Ali's chair gave him tips on sitting ergonomically, which is why Ali's desk is lower than he thought it would be.	My PRODUCTIVE Apartment Tour (2021) 00:16:24
2020-07-13	Ali	For someone who sits at a desk all day with varicose veins, Ali recommends a treadmill desk: people he has spoken to say it changed their lives.	What We Learnt In 2 Years of Being Doctors - Deep Dive with Molly Hunt 00:49:48
2019-12-17	Ali Abdaal (channel)	Asked whether to buy a Jarvis desk like his or an IKEA one, the channel replies that the Jarvis is great.	Study With Me - A Super Productive Day creator comment
2019-09-13	Ali	Ali calls this his best cable management ever: metal bits under the Jarvis desk hold the cables, and two IKEA Alex drawer units on the right hide the mess of cables and plugs behind them.	My Productivity Desk Setup 00:05:31
2019-09-13	Ali	Ali says from now on he will always have an electric standing desk: when he gets bored editing or studying for an exam, switching the height setting gives him a second wind of energy.	My Productivity Desk Setup 00:01:08
2019-03-26	Ali	Ali recommends a proper set of desk speakers for anyone who spends a lot of time at a desk; otherwise a Bluetooth speaker can serve as the room's speaker.	Recommended Tech for Students 🎧📱 00:08:40
2018-12-16	Ali	Because his MacBook Pro has only USB-C, Ali needs a Satechi dongle to reach his monitor by HDMI; he wanted a USB-C monitor to work towards one cable connecting the laptop to the whole desk setup.	Desk Setup Upgrade - 35" UltraWide Monitor · Life as a Junior Doctor 00:00:26
2018-09-26	Ali	Ali's desk is an IKEA Karlby countertop on IKEA legs with an Alex drawer unit: the countertop comes in sizes and can be cut, so with Alex units on one or both sides you get lots of space and a custom-built look.	My Productivity Desk Setup 00:00:39

More answers (2)

date	who	answer	source
2018-04-18	Ali	Ali's second tip: before settling down to work he tidies his room and desk; it costs time, but a tidy room is better for his mental state than squeezing out 20 more minutes.	Study With Me + 10 Productivity / Revision Tips - Cambridge University medical student VLOG #31 00:00:58
2018-01-13	Ali	Ali recommends running a MacBook Pro in clamshell mode, lid closed and cabled to power and a monitor by HDMI, as ideal for students and anyone who moves around: unplug a few cables and go.	My University Desk Setup - Cambridge Medical Student 00:00:00