I have cruised quite a bit on both my boat and others. One of the best creature comforts is a pillow in a strong plastic bag.
At times, when on a continuous heading, having a pillow to shove under our downhill cheek is ver restfull and more comfortable, Shoving it behind your back in various contortions allows you to adjust your
seating position. On a long watch, it really helps.
When going on watch, have a short checklist of things you want handy.
handheld GPS,
VHF, Flashlight at night, appropriate chart, eyeglasses, gloves, sunglasses, drinking water or ???, music on the stereo (watch stander gets to choose), sunscreen, hat.
Try and be cognizant of what others are doing before tacking/gybing, so someone is not surprised while pouring hot water, etc.
By the way, the kitchen timer is the best idea I've heard in a long time, I'm going to look for one today.