Software Developer
If you are a professional software software developer, chances are that you spend a lot of your time sitting in front of a computer screen. The trouble is that people tend to continue sitting and tinkering with their devices even when they are done with the work for the day. Most people are not even aware of the harmful effects of sitting at a computer desk for prolonged periods of time.
Although working at a computer desk does not seem like a physically strenuous job at first glance, sitting in the same position on a chair for a long time causes back and neck pain, impaired vision and many other health problems. To stay as healthy as possible, and therefore more productive, try the following tips to reduce the feeling of mental fatigue and muscle pain.
Work Out
Regular exercising goes a long way to help with any back, neck or muscle pain. You should try to set aside at least 20 minutes each day to work out. It can be after your work or even on a break. If you work from home, it’s a good idea to get a workout bench and some weights or install a stall bar so you can improve the quality of your workouts.
Set the Computer Screen to a Good Height
The correct position of the computer in relation to the height of the eyes of a software developer is a very important factor for the health of the eyes and your back. If you tend to gaze downwards too much, back and neck pain can occur, and if you look up too much, it will probably lead to dry eyes. Place the computer on a surface that is level with your eyes to reduce the risk of these inconveniences.
Drink Plenty of Water
It’s probably not the first time you’ve heard of the many benefits of drinking water regularly, including weight loss, better skin quality and excess energy. In addition to these benefits, getting up to get a glass of water will make you stand up and move away from the table.
Get Up From the Table Every Hour
To avoid muscle pain and fatigue, set an alarm that will remind you to get up and walk around the workplace every hour. You could even use this chance to run on a treadmill for a bit, if you own one.
Avoid Taking the Elevator
If you don’t like the idea of an alarm, and you work on the lower floors, try to take the elevator to the office as little as possible, and use the stairs regularly instead. Every physical activity is important for those who work all day at a desk. This will greatly help you have proper circulation and muscle movement.
Stretch Your Muscles While You are at the Table
Try, discreetly if needed, to stretch occasionally. If it’s inappropriate because you are in an office, try to stretch at least the hand muscles that are engaged in typing on the keyboard and holding the mouse.
Increase the Font You are Using
Whenever you can, make it easy for yourself and feel free to increase the font size as you type. If the font is too small, you will start squinting, and that is the biggest factor that causes eye fatigue and headaches.
Don’t forget to blink!
Although it seems like unnecessary advice, since we all blink regardless of whether we are sitting at a table or not, it turns out that if we sit at the computer for a long time, we should be reminded to blink more regularly. Active looking at the screen reduces the number of blinks we perform to a third of the usual amount. Irregular blinking is another reason for dry eyes, so try to remind yourself of this.
