Tips for working hours in front of computer screen?

[HatontheCat]

After being made redundant earlier this year, and not being a spring chicken, I finally found some full time temping work, but I'm finding it much harder than I thought I would to work in front of a computer screen for 7.5 hours a day. After lunch my neck feels tense, and my head starts thumping, and I feel so tired. I quite like the actual work, I'm just struggling with the physical aspect of this, I drink plenty and try to take breaks, does it get easier? does anyone have any tips for making this more comfortable?

I have to try really hard to make sure my screen and chair are set up properly.

Chair arms where they are low enough that my forearm sits on them comfortably with my shoulders down and relaxed. Then adjust chair height so that the arms are level with the desk, then adjust screen height so chin is at right angles to your neck. If at this point your feet don't touch the ground comfortably, look at whether you can rest your feet on something. If the chair has adjustable lumbar support then play round with that until it supports the natural curve of your spine when you sit upright. All of those individual things will help your neck and back stay more comfortable which will hopefully also reduce your headaches.

Don't be afraid to zoom in your screen so you aren't tempted to strain your neck.

You may already have done that lot, but if not, it's worth a try. It makes a real difference to me.

Have you asked the company for a DSE assessment? They should have someone trained who can check that your equipment is set up correctly so your posture is comfortable.

From an eye point f view, the top of the screen should be at your eye level so that you're always looking down.

Make sure you have your eyes tested regularly and that your glasses are suitable for your screen distance (it's worth measuring it before your test).

Thanks for these tips, because all the employees here are working pretty solidly at computers the company seems very aware of comfort, and all seems set up right, I have got an eye test soon so will ask optician, someone else suggested looking at turning down the glare, I actually find it hard to look at the TV in the evening after looking at a screen all day. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this kind of job.

You can get apps which tell you once an hour (think you can change the interval) to do some sort of stretch - gives you a different one each time.

Ideally, you should have 5 minutes screen break each hour; that doesn't mean not working, but could be a meeting or a phone call where you make notes in a pad of paper. Or it could be a loo break or walking to get a coffee. (I do not necessarily practise what I preach here...)

It's also good to change your focal length for a bit, so if you are in sight of a window that you can look out of, do so, especially if you can see some distance, or to the far end of the office or something.

You should be able to claim back the costs of your sight test from your employer, if you’re a use of display screen equipment. If you need corrective glasses because of your DSE use, you can also claim back some costs of that (but not if you just happen to be short-sighted, or need reading glasses because of your age.)

I also recommend getting a workplace assessment, to make sure your desk and so on is set up in the best way to minimise physical problems. If you need any corrective equipment (e.g. footstool, wrist pad, screen shield,) your employer should provide that.

I spend many hours a day staring at screens, and before that, I spent many hours a day reading books. I guess it depends what you're used to.

If your eye test says you need distance glasses ask for your “computer addition” which is a lower prescription set to focus at the distance from eye to computer. It solved my headaches overnight and was about 1.25 dioptres lower than my usual distance prescription. Also because it was just for screen work the eye test and glasses were paid for by work

I agree with advice for DSE assessment you may need a more supportive chair giving thoracic (high upper back) support as well as lumbar support

Do you get a lunch break? I'm lucky enough to have a gym on site so I go there and do stretching on my break. Otherwise I get really tense and sore.

I struggle with this and what I’ve found makes a massive improvement is altering the screen light so it’s warmer - less blue light. My eyes don’t hurt anywhere near as much!!

Get a lunch break but no facilities and have to park half a mile down road so not enough time to do anything but I do get out in the fresh air if I can. Thanks for all the tips.

Congrats on the job Haton

I got a similar job two years ago.

As people have said, get a workplace assessment and get an OT to check that the chair screen mouse and keyboard are right for you.

Eye test too, as an old bird, I find that varifocals mean that I have to have my screen low otherwise I get a crick in my neck

Prescription screen glasses didn't work for me, I kept forgetting to put my normal glasses back on and would fall over things

Also, it was tough at first but your eyes adjust! Take lots of breaks.

Definitely look after your eyes. I developed late adult onset myopia mildly as a result of what the optician (who is also researching for his PhD in this subject) believes is an increase in the adult population due to exposure to computers, especially close work as I did for the last 12 years. Try to take regular breaks. Every 45 minutes get up and get away from your screen. Walk around, go on an errand, go to the loo..anything to give yourself a 10 minute break from the screen.