It’s the holidays and your non-writing mind may be on giving gifts to others. That’s wonderful, but consider giving a writer-centric gift to yourself. Writers are often workaholics to their physical detriment. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of better health. There are 35 tips to make you a healthier writer in 2022 on the Writers in the Storm Blog. This is a sample of that post.
Please note that this is not medical advice. If you have symptoms of repetitive stress injuries or any chronic medical issues, consult your personal health care provider before changing your work environment or habits.
For Your Eyes
Focusing on the computer screen makes the user blink thirty to fifty percent less frequently than normal. This causes dry, red, gritty-feeling eyes, and eyestrain.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology has a lot to say about how to avoid eye strain. The essentials are:
- Keep the computer 25 inches (an arm’s length) away from your face.
- The top of the monitor should be at eye level.
- Reduce glare by repositioning lights or using an anti-glare filter.
- Give your eyes a 20-20-20 break. Every twenty minutes, look twenty feet away for twenty seconds.
- Use a desktop humidifier or artificial tears.
- Natural lighting is best. A combination of natural and artificial light will also work.
- Adjust the brightness of your room (or screen) so your screen is less bright than the room lights.
For Your Hands and Arms
- Find a keyboard that allows your wrists to be in a neutral position (not flexed).
- Your mouse should be in easy reach of your dominant hand. Or you can use a foot controlled mouse.
- Try to keep your arms parallel to the floor.
- Avoid resting your arms on the edge of the keyboard, desk, or table.
- Elbows should be at 100 to 110 degrees. This means your keyboard should be slightly higher in the back of it, so use those little feet on your keyboards.
Please read the remaining 23 tips to a Healthier Writer You in 2022 on the WITS blog.
Image Credits
Top Image by Harry Strauss from Pixabay