Today’s offices are generally composed of a hive of stations, each with its own computer terminal. Employees sit in front of these terminals the whole day as they write, research, design, edit and analyze. Staring for hours at a monitor is bad for your health. Many develop eyestrain because of this daily habit. It affects their ability to work properly and their productivity goes down. It’s hard to go on when you have a headache and you can’t open your eyes without feeling pain. There are a number of ways to prevent this from happening in the first place. Consider the following simple tips and tricks:

Get Up from Your Desk

The first thing you should do is to have frequent breaks. This can be as short as 2 to 5 minutes every hour. You can even do it every 30 minutes if you wish. Rather than fixing your gaze on the monitor nonstop, get up from the desk and walk around the office. Perhaps get yourself some water, tea or coffee. Go to the bathroom if you need to. The point is that your eyes will have a break from the light source. Look out a window if possible and focus on far away objects like trees. If you can’t wander from your desk, then simply stand, stretch, and close your eyes for a little while.

Install a Few Apps

Make sure that you don’t miss these scheduled breaks by installing apps on your phone or your computer. For instance, get a pomodoro app and set it to go off every half hour. This will help you become more productive as well. You should also look into apps that change the color temperature of the monitor depending on the time of day. These can shift the display more into the red end of the spectrum which is more friendly on the eyes. Of course, you can also change the settings manually to reduce the blue light or apply a filter on the screen.

Put On Eyewear for Computers

Another option would be to use an eyewear for computers whenever you are in front of them. These have a special coating that block blue light such that eyestrain is vastly reduced. You can work longer without developing a headache. If you are due for new prescription glasses, ask your doctor to provide you with lenses that have this filter built into them. They will not have an effect on the thickness or the appearance. They will simply work in silence and help you complete your own tasks.