Those of us who spend the majority of our time working on a laptop eventually start developing aches and pains from repetitive motions and sitting in the wrong position for too long (and too often). But using ergonomic furniture and computer accessories can help enormously. As always, prevention is the best medicine – make sure you’re sitting right before things start to hurt.

I realize of course that it’s not always possible to be in a perfect position while trying to get work done on a train, plane or even in a classroom, but at home, you’re in charge of your environment, and you can find travel-friendly tables and lap desks that aren’t a pain do take along. Instead of hunching over your laptop while squished into an economy class seat or sitting on the couch at home, invest in an inexpensive laptop computer table that allows you to work (or surf) longer.

Laptop tables come in all shapes and colors. Some are more like regular desks, some are U-shaped tables that can also be used as side tables, some are portable and angled, and some are flat boards intended to sit on your lap to provide some stability and protect you from the heat from the laptop. I personally prefer to stand up and work, so I like the more podium-like desks that allow me to do that.

A simple, lightweight, angled portable laptop stand is the Aviator from Keynamics. You have to assemble them yourself, but it’s really easy to do, and when disassembled, they fit easily in standard-sized laptop bags. It comes in several colors, costs $19.99, and when you buy one in pink, Keynamics donates $2 to breast cancer research.

LapWorks’ “Painted Futuras” come in 12 colors (Passion Pink is one of them) and can both be used as a lap tray and folded up into a wedge (providing an angled stand).

If you’re looking for a super cute lap desk, check out the ones from Room It Up. They come in a ton of great colors and designs (lots of pink) and even have built-in cup holders!

Speaking of built-ins, Philips’ laptop cushion, a comfortable beanbag with a non-slip flat hardtop surface, comes with with built-in speakers (it hooks up to your laptop via a built-in usb cable). At the moment it’s only available in Europe, and sadly does not come in pink.

For those who, like me, prefer to work standing up and need an adjustable laptop table, the fuchsia laptop podium (also comes in other colors) from Walmart is perfect. While not exactly something you take on the road with you, it works great at home: takes up very little space and has adjustable height and tilt.

The folding laptop table from purple-Faye’s store at eBay is a really smart and handy little desk. It comes in several colors (including bright pink), weighs only 2 lbs and folds up so small you can fit it in a laptop bag. You can adjust both the height and the angle any way you want it, so you can use it just about anywhere.

So what is the perfect working position? Sitting up straight with both feet firmly on the floor (on a chair that supports your back), head and neck upright, top of monitor in line with your eyes, upper arms and elbows close to your body, wrists and hands straight, resting comfortably on the keyboard. A lot to keep in mind, and easy to forget, especially for those of us who spend long hours in front of our gaming laptops, where in the heat of the moment it’s easy to contort yourself to anything but correct posture, but well worth remembering nevertheless.