I know full well we were not made for just staring at a screen for hours on end. Our eyes (and bodies) need movement, they need different environments, and most of all they need rest. So for the last 6 months I've made it a habit to slowly reduce the amount of screen time I have to endure.
1. At work I limit myself to 10 minute increments of staring at my screen. In most cases this means printing off what emails I need so I can look at paper copies. Since I have to scan in all interactions anyways it saves me a step and I can look at the paper rather than the screen. After 10 minutes I get up and stretch, look out the window at the trees, close my eyes for a moment, and then start to work again.
2. At lunch, instead of reading my Kindle or looking at my iPhone...I take a nap! I know, in our society napping is almost considered taboo as we want to constantly be productive. However I have an hour lunch so I can close my eyes for 20-30 minutes and allow them to rest. It's amazing how refreshed I feel even after a hectic morning. My eyes find it much easier to look at the computer screen for the next 4 hours if I do this.
3. By 9pm I turn almost all electronic devices off. While I may read my Kindle (it's not a Fire so doesn't have a backlight), or sometimes will watch a sporting event, I give myself an hour before bed without staring at a screen. It prepares my body for bed and allows my eyes almost 60 minutes of non-screen time. I may wash some dishes, get things ready for the following day, or I may just go to bed early.
None of these things are ground breaking, but like many things in life that bring long term value, they are small and sustainable.
-Mike
