There is no shortcut or magic trick to making you more productive, but there are some underrated upgrades out there that can help. All you need to work is a PC or a laptop, but the user experience can be enhanced so that your output improves and takes less time and stress to accomplish. Sure, it’s an added expenditure, but you’d be surprised to know that these items won’t cost a fortune if you find the right deals.
However, we also recommend searching for quality instead of cheap simply because these are peripheral investments in your well-being. Functionality usually goes hand in hand with that, so getting an option that will truly serve your purpose is the way to go.
Productive Upgrades for Your Workstation
Here are some items that are seldomly recommended yet very valuable for your work or gaming setup:
Second Monitor (Or Third)
Getting a secondary or tertiary monitor is probably the biggest upgrade you can add to increase productivity and convenience. It gives you double or triple the room to play around with, essentially cutting down time and effort to finish a job. Having two or three monitors in the landscape can spread your workflow out, or getting one as a portrait display will give you a digital copy holder or canvas on the side.
Having that means that you won’t have to alt-tab often to browse through different apps or documents related to the task in focus. It may seem mundane, but the convenience is substantial if you are working on a big project. You can also use the secondary or tertiary monitors for a bit of ambient entertainment to keep you at ease while juggernauting those tasks.
Gamers also get benefits with secondary displays since it gives them room to display programs like Discord or streaming software like OBS or Streamlabs. Having comms at the ready while the primary screen is dedicated to your game takes some of the stress out of your playing session.
Monitor Stand/Arm
A VESA mount is an affordable upgrade you can consider to improve productivity. It primarily gives you more flexibility in setting up a display, so you won’t have to suffer the consequences on your neck and eyes. This is also helpful in letting you shift your position and have your monitor follow that new seating angle.
However, the second major benefit of using a VESA mount is that it will help you save a ton of space on your desk. Most monitor stands need a lot more room, while a monitor arm typically only clamps to the edge of your desktop. This upgrade will eliminate the clutter on the deck and give you more room to streamline or customize your work or gaming station.
We’d also like to reiterate that this option is one of the cheapest ones in this lineup. You can get a mount in the twenties, but the tricked-out ones can cost up to a hundred or so. It’s also not as widely known, but the arms can be used as avenues for cable management to help tidy up.
Connectivity Hub
Adding a connectivity hub with flexible connectors will also tidy up your setup while making it look like it means business. Hubs typically include more USB ports and either an HDMI, DVI, VGA, or DisplayPort slot for your peripherals. The newer models often use USB-C slots to connect to your PC to handle and provide all the necessary bandwidth for the inputs as mentioned above.
They can get expensive, but most of them are not complicated. The only issue with bigger hubs is that they will need to be plugged into power, but the cable for that can be arranged with the other wires you use in your setup.
Tablet Stand/Phone Stand
A tablet stand is similar to the VESA mount, but it’s magnetic and typically works with tablet-like iPads. Some use your desktop, but there are others that attach to your primary monitor’s backside. Setting your tablet up like this essentially makes it a secondary computer or display that can shave off some time and help with multitasking.
It’s also a cheap upgrade, but not everyone has a tablet lying around. It’s not ideal for phones, but we recommend a phone stand instead. Some phone stands have wireless charging, and you have to buy the right one for your phone model.
Ergonomic/Standing Desk
An ergonomic desk is expensive, so it’s not as widespread as the other options in this lineup. However, sitting for hours in front of your computer is a sedentary lifestyle, so it could have possible health repercussions if we don’t change. A stand-up or ergonomic desk is basically a height-adjustable table that gets high enough to make you stand while using the computer.
Alternating between standing up and sitting down during long hours of work or play is beneficial to your posture and overall health. It’s a pricey upgrade and quite messy to set up if you already have an existing desk, but it’s well worth it in the long run.
Gaming/Ergonomic Chair
Of course, a chair that matches your ergonomic desk is also a must-have if you want to go all the way. An ergonomic chair is highly recommended, but you can also go with a gaming variant, provided that it’s actually comfortable and properly sized for you. The latter almost always just looks good but is dreary to use for extended hours, but there are highly recommended brands and models out there.
It’s also recommended to get a chair with good neck and lumbar support to prevent back and neck strain. Don’t get distracted by flashy designs or RGB lighting; instead, look for functionality and breathable materials.
About the Author: 
Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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