From the moment we wake up in the morning our lives are often dictated by screens, from checking the time on our phone to then sitting in front of a computer at work before watching a boxset on TV in the evening. Although we are often required to use screens as part of our jobs, the negative effects of screen time can be damaging. If you would like to learn more, take a closer look at how to manage screen time at work.
What are the effects of screen time?
Have you noticed that you have a headache at the end of the working day? Or, perhaps your eyes feel dry and tired? Often, these symptoms are caused by reduced blinking, which means that our eyes are not being naturally lubricated. Not only does this make our eyes dry, but it also causes headaches as our eyes are not being given a chance to rest whilst we are focused on screens.
Dry eyes and headaches are often the first signs that you may be experiencing the effects of screen time, but there are many other longer-term effects that can take their toll on your health. For example, the blue light which is emitted from screens has been found to inhibit melatonin production, which is an essential chemical needed to help us sleep. This lack of sleep can impact cognitive function, our memory and mood, as well as reduce our productivity at work. Therefore, it is crucial to learn how to manage screen time in your daily life to help you lead a healthier lifestyle.
Looking after your vision
One way in which you can combat the effects of screen time is by properly looking after your eyes. If you require glasses or contact lenses for your vision and have been prescribed by your optician, then it’s important to wear them when required. Your eyes need to get used to your glasses or contacts, so wearing them infrequently can impact their effectiveness. Your eyesight might not improve as well as it should if you are not wearing them when you should be.
If you’re tired of your glasses or contact lenses then you might want to consider correcting your vision in other ways. The UK’s longest-established eye surgery specialist, Ultralase, has helped many clients achieve the vision they deserve through laser eye surgery. To discover more about looking after your eye health, common eye conditions, and laser eye surgery advice, take a closer look at their blog today.
Top tips for how to manage screen time
If you work in a role that requires you to use a PC, phone, or tablet, it will be impossible to eliminate screen time completely. Instead, you need to find ways to manage your schedule around screen time, so start by making a note of how much screen time your day involves. Then, you can begin to plan tasks with a focus on giving yourself plenty of breaks from the screen.
When researching how to manage screen time, some advice says that we should be taking a 5–10-minute screen break after using a screen for 50-60 minutes. However, in the workplace when we are spending several hours at a desk, it can be useful to follow the RNIB 20, 20, 20 rule too. This involves taking a break of at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes, where you allow your eyes to look at objects at least 20 feet away.
So, if you start the day by checking and replying to urgent emails, think about what task you can do next to give yourself a break from the screen and reduce any physical effects of screen time. For example, if your usual morning meeting is held via Zoom or Teams, this adds an extra layer of eye fatigue as it is difficult to focus on multiple faces simultaneously. Instead, could you use alternatives to virtual meetings and maybe plan a face-to-face morning catchup meeting instead, which will give your team a break from their screens.
You could also:
- Limit meeting duration – Virtual meetings can be draining, but if they are essential, try to limit their length and space them out across the day. If you’re looking for how to manage screen time in your workplace, think about reducing the amount of virtual meetings you are having.
- Take regular breaks – Taking breaks away from the screen is essential, so rather than just taking a morning coffee break and lunch break, try to incorporate longer screen breaks into your working day. It is also important to ensure your breaks are technology-free, so try not to spend your lunch hour scrolling through your phone. Swapping from your office computer at work to your phone on your breaks won’t help combat the negative effects of screen time.
- Plan tasks away from the screen – Are there any tasks that could be completed with a pen and paper? For example, perhaps you could brainstorm ideas or make notes for a project in a notepad instead of using your computer.
