In Part 2 of my productivity desk setup series, I’m basically talking about the “next layer” once you’ve already nailed the fundamentals from Part 1 (desk, frame, drawers, organisers). The big upgrade here is a monitor stand—not just for aesthetics, but because it creates a clean second tier where I can hide the random daily stuff I still need within reach: headphones for calls, an Apple TV remote, a light remote, even a mic if I want to quickly record an idea. The goal is simple: no messy clutter in front of you, but also no constantly opening drawers. From there, I go into the tech side properly, and it all starts with requirements. You need to decide if your “core setup” is a desktop (Mac Studio/PC) or a laptop that you’re turning into a desktop with an external monitor—because that decision changes everything, especially whether you need a docking station. I also share what I look for in a dock (don’t overcomplicate it) and why I always recommend a monitor with an inbuilt docking station/extra ports to reduce dongles and cable clutter. Finally, I break down my keyboard and mouse approach: if you’re on a Mac setup, I’m 100% in on the Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and the trackpad for a seamless, fast workflow—mechanical keyboards are cool, but for me they’re not the most productive when you’re moving at 90–100 miles an hour.