A workspace is, believe it or not, one of the most important places in our lives. I used to work at the kitchen table or on the couch, but trust me—my productivity suffered. Sitting on a couch is comfy, but the moment you start working, everything falls apart. I realized that even a simple desk and chair aren’t just formalities—they actually help you focus and get things done.

Back in Russia, I saw these cool height-adjustable desks. They’re awesome! After moving to Canada, I couldn’t resist and bought one for 170 CAD—not too bad considering how much time I spend working. In Russian rubles, that’s about 12,000, which didn’t seem like a big deal. But… the tabletop turned out to be super thin, and adjusting the height felt like flying a helicopter in Vice City.

When I sit, everything’s fine. But when I raise the desk to work standing up, it feels like it was made for tiny people. I’m 171.2 cm tall, and my elbows end up lower than the desk—it’s a disaster. But standing while working is actually fun! Switching tasks feels easier, and I don’t get tired as quickly. Though my back sometimes reminds me to sit down, so I jump onto my trusty Markus chair from IKEA—it’s adjustable, comfy, and not expensive.

Under my desk, I have a footrest. When I sit, I put my feet on it to stretch a bit. And when I stand, I rest one foot on it—it’s a lifesaver.

Now I’m dreaming of a second monitor. I want to feel like a real developer or designer, though my 13-inch MacBook does the job. But editing in Figma on this tiny screen feels like using an old iPhone SE—not fun at all.

And don’t even get me started on the lighting. It’s as dark as a basement. I keep googling how to brighten a room with just one window, but no good tips so far. I moved my chair so the light comes from the right, but I’m not sure if that’s the best setup. Maybe I should go old-school, like in Soviet classrooms, where the light came from the left? And add a teacher with a pointer for full effect? Right now, my face gets weird lighting during video calls—not great.

If you have any tips, let me know! Or don’t. 😆