Light one stick when you close the laptop — not as fragrance for guests, as a boundary you can smell. Classical blends are quieter than perfume; they ask less of the room.
Open a window a finger-width. Place the burner where ash can fall safely. Stay for three breaths after the tip glows. That is enough.
Incense is a soft reset: the air changes before you explain anything.
If smoke bothers you, use a short stick or a sachet in a drawer. The ritual is the intention, not the volume of smoke.