Tools that remind you to take computer breaks
Working on a computer for long hours can cause several health problems – eye strain, headache, backache, burning eyes and so on. The only way to avoid these symptoms is to take short breaks at regular intervals. But the problem is most users fail to remember to take breaks. This is when the following tools come handy.
Eyes Relax is an excellent little free Windows utility that reminds you to take rest and save your precious eyesight. The level of flexibility in this program is amazing. The user can set the duration of their work time and length of breaks. By default, the work time is set at only 10 minutes which will be too frequent for most people. Set it to around 60 minutes or lesser and the break time to 5 minutes or 10 minutes. Of course, you are free to choose your own rest duration.
As the break time approaches, the program pop-ups a notification with a countdown timer. This notification time is set to 30 seconds, but it can be changed. You can also disable the notification message altogether. Finally when it’s time to take a break, you can choose how you want the program to remind you. You can opt for a subtle reminder like a balloon notification or a more aggressive one that blanks the screen.
If you are the type of person who turns off the alarm clock in the morning and goes back to sleep, you can set the program to make it impossible to cancel the rest break so that you are forced to stop working whether you like it or not.
Eyes Relax also has a Parent mode that can be used to protect your children, forcing them to take breaks. In parent mode the program cannot be disabled and the computer is password-protected during a break.
If you don’t want to be bothered, but rather just want to keep track of the amount of time you spent in front of the monitor and decide for yourself when it’s the right time to take breaks, try Anti-Strain Alarm Clock.
Anti-Strain Alarm Clock displays a transparent clock at the top of the screen that shows the amount of time you have been working. It also has a rest reminder that shows up every 60 minutes.
Also see Workrave
Along with proper ergonomics, taking regular breaks from the computer to do eye exercises can help prevent or reduce the effects of computer eye strain.
Our eyes and vision were designed for viewing distance as hunters and gatherers, and not for ongoing near work as required by regular computer use. As a result, Computer Eye Strain is becoming one of the major eye complaints heard by eye doctors today.
Symptoms can include increased myopia, blurred vision, headaches, slow refocusing, difficulty concentrating, neck, shoulder and back pain
Eye strain can be reduced significantly by taking regular breaks from the computer, resting your eyes, stretching and doing eye exercises.
For a demo of 3 great eye exercises by Dr. Grossman, one of the Country's leading behavioral optometrists, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W10j2fL0hy0
Dr. Grossman also offers his free eye exercise booklet at his website at Natural Eye Care Free Eye Exercises with his 11 favorite eye exercises and acupressure eye points to massage regularly.
Finally, there is also an excellent section at his website on "Computer Eye Strain" under "Eye Diseases" that provides a Computer Eye Strain “Self-Help“ section with great tips of relieving eyestrain due to computer use.
Also, a few research studies show that supplementing with 6mg per day of astaxanthin per day significantly improved eye strain at week 2 and 4 of the test period.
For more information, go to Natural Eye Care for Computer Eye Strain
This is a cool application. I myself am guilty of facing the computer for long hours. After work, I usually experience head ache and eye strains. So this application would be a handy tool in both the office and work.
This would be great. Eye strain is something that we should not just think may be caused by computers though. Macular Degeneration and other eye diseases could give similar symptoms.
Check out Macular Degeneration Support Canada for more information on this and other eye diseases.
Very nice application although I had the feeling someone is watching me from the notify area, because of this so realistic eye :)
Take a look also at Children's Care
It is more children related, but have some very good features I use.