Comfort is time-sensitive. Spending hours and hours in one position every day means you cannot slouch as you might on a sofa. The basics are so important and I know people who took shortcuts and suffered with horrendous back pain for years. Here are my essentials:

An Eye-level, Big Screen – get a proper monitor and set it at the right height. and never hunch over a laptop for more than an hour a day. I tried using multiple monitors, putting different things in different places, but it was more effort than it was worth for me – I can only do one thing at once!

Seating Position. Raise so your feet are flat on the floor and thighs level. Seems weird to begin with, but if you don’t your knees and ankles will not thank you a few weeks in. I am lucky enough to have spent an entire work bonus on a Herman Miller Aeron chair … and after over 10 years working full-time from it … and I am in good shape. It’s commonly accepted as the best, but is pricey, and looking at a few reviews other chairs are now excellent too.

Get a keyboard. Laptop keyboards suck for long periods of use, wrists get sore and knuckles ache. I’ve never used a wrist-rest but they’re still around so consider one if you need.

Use a Mouse. Trackpads/touchpads are nice but a poor for complex/precision work and again no good for longer periods use. The new wave of gaming mice available are nicely designed and have a solid feel. They’re usually wired (shock!) with wireless ones quite expensive, but have hugely advanced speed/sensitivity, quality switches and useful customization short-cut options. I use a simple gaming mouse (without flashing lights) at home, and a traditional mouse when out.