You know the feeling - your eyes are tired, you can’t focus, your hands hurt, and you’re willing for the clock to move a little faster.
Working for hours at a computer is no picnic. You might not be carrying huge boxes or doing a very demanding physical job, but you are actually doing something possibly even more demanding mentally - working your brain, your eyes, and your muscles to the extreme.
For this reason, it is vital that you take regular breaks from your computer screen, to give your eyes, and your sanity, a break!
You might be wondering how you can do this, without catching the wrath of your manager, but it is actually much more productive to take regular breaks, and any manager worth his or her salt knows this. Regular breaks are recommended for health and wellbeing, and they can reduce stress in the workplace. There are many ways you can take regular screen breaks, and most of them don’t even involve getting up from that luxurious office furniture!
Studies suggest that you should be following something called the 20-20-20 rule. This means that every 20 minutes you move your eyes from your screen and you look at something which is around 20 feet away from you. You should then look at this object for 20 seconds. Hence, the three lots of twenty! This gives your eyes a break and allows them to refocus on something other than the fuzziness of your screen.
Let’s check out some other innovative ways you can take an eye break from your computer screen.
Look Outside at Nature
If you have any green nature outside of your office, this is the ideal thing to focus on during your screen breaks. If you don’t have actual scenery, plants within the office will do! You could always bring your own and place it on your desk, if needs be. Nature helps us to de-stress, unwind, and be calm, even if just for a few minutes. If you can venture outside, all the better.
Focus on Your Breath
Head to the nearest breakout space and focus on your breath for a few minutes. This will help you unwind, de-stress, and give you that much-needed break. Breathing exercises aren’t difficult, and you don’t need to be a master in meditation to be able to get benefit out of them. Simply close your eyes, and focus on breathing in through your nose for a count of five, wait for five seconds, and then slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of five. You’ll feel calmer in minutes!
Take Your Coffee Breaks
Most of us don’t want to take our breaks because we think it makes us look bad, as though we’re not working hard, but it’s actually very beneficial to take them! You’re entitled to the breaks, so make sure you have them. Head over to get a coffee, a glass of water, whatever you want, and this will be enough to refocus your mind, your eyes, and help you de-stress from whatever you’re working on at that time.
Make Sure You’re Comfortable
Of course, being in a comfortable environment also helps in terms of health and wellbeing within the workplace, and there are many executive office furniture choices you can look into, which will not only be comfortable, but ergonomic and functional too. Mesh office chairs are a great investment in addition, because the extra ventilation is more comfortable than a sticky chair! Look at your general comfort level, as this will help you focus, in and around your breaks.
Take a Yoga Break
We all know that yoga is fantastic for the mind, body, and soul, but did you know that it is also very easy to do from your seat at any office tables you happen to be perched at? Chair yoga is easy and effective, and also gives your eyes a good break from the screen for a short while. There are many exercises you can do, and basically anyone can do them too! The perk of trying this is that you will also get to stretch out your core muscles, your lower back, your neck, and wrists, which can all become tensed up when you’re working a computer for a long period of time.
Remember - a comfortable environment and regular breaks are the perfect recipe for a productive day, a clearer mind, and a healthier worker overall.