The 20/20/20 Rule For Computer Use

We all know that sitting immobile in one place is detrimental to one’s health and that long periods of looking at computer monitors and other digital devices is a strain on the eyes.

For the latter, there is a simple 20/20/20 rule that can help to ease the visual stress and strain that we undergo on a daily basis. This rule is simple to follow:

• If working on a computer, laptop, tablet or other hand held device, or even when reading from a digital reader such as Kindle, take a break every 20 minutes. After 20 minutes of active working or reading, look away from the screen.
• Then look 20 feet away from the screen that you were focusing on. This causes your eyes to change focus and relaxes them.
• Stare at that point 20 feet away for about 20 seconds to give your eyes time to readjust to this new distance and then you can resume your work.

This 20/20/20 rule can help relieve stress by causing the eye muscles to realign themselves and to change focus periodically thereby relieving eye strain, which may not manifest itself now; but which will however result in long term damage.