Work & Focus
How to Reduce Work Screen Time Without Hurting Productivity
How to Reduce Work Screen Time Without Hurting Productivity
How to Reduce Work Screen Time Without Hurting Productivity
You sit down at your desk at 9am. You look up, and it's suddenly 5pm. Your eyes hurt, your neck is stiff, and your brain feels foggy. You've been staring at screens the entire day with maybe a bathroom break and lunch eaten at your desk while answering emails.
Sound familiar? To me, a lot.
Here's the reality: most jobs require screens. You can't just opt out of computers, emails, video calls, and digital tools. But spending 8 to 10 hours straight staring at screens is genuinely exhausting, and you're feeling the effects physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The good news? You don't need a complete digital detox or some extreme productivity overhaul. Small, practical adjustments to how you structure your workday can dramatically reduce screen time while actually improving your focus and output.
Let's talk about realistic ways to give your eyes, brain, and body a break without falling behind at work.
You sit down at your desk at 9am. You look up, and it's suddenly 5pm. Your eyes hurt, your neck is stiff, and your brain feels foggy. You've been staring at screens the entire day with maybe a bathroom break and lunch eaten at your desk while answering emails.
Sound familiar? To me, a lot.
Here's the reality: most jobs require screens. You can't just opt out of computers, emails, video calls, and digital tools. But spending 8 to 10 hours straight staring at screens is genuinely exhausting, and you're feeling the effects physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The good news? You don't need a complete digital detox or some extreme productivity overhaul. Small, practical adjustments to how you structure your workday can dramatically reduce screen time while actually improving your focus and output.
Let's talk about realistic ways to give your eyes, brain, and body a break without falling behind at work.
You sit down at your desk at 9am. You look up, and it's suddenly 5pm. Your eyes hurt, your neck is stiff, and your brain feels foggy. You've been staring at screens the entire day with maybe a bathroom break and lunch eaten at your desk while answering emails.
Sound familiar? To me, a lot.
Here's the reality: most jobs require screens. You can't just opt out of computers, emails, video calls, and digital tools. But spending 8 to 10 hours straight staring at screens is genuinely exhausting, and you're feeling the effects physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The good news? You don't need a complete digital detox or some extreme productivity overhaul. Small, practical adjustments to how you structure your workday can dramatically reduce screen time while actually improving your focus and output.
Let's talk about realistic ways to give your eyes, brain, and body a break without falling behind at work.
What I am going to cover
Why Reducing Work Screen Time Actually Matters
Simple Workday Adjustments That Make a Real Difference
How to Structure Your Workday with More Breaks
Specific Tips for Remote Workers
Taking Real Breaks That Actually Help
Eye Rest Techniques That Actually Work
Practical Boundaries for Email and Messages
Small Offline Routines to Build Into Your Day
When Work Screen Time Is Causing Burnout
What I am going to cover
Why Reducing Work Screen Time Actually Matters
Simple Workday Adjustments That Make a Real Difference
How to Structure Your Workday with More Breaks
Specific Tips for Remote Workers
Taking Real Breaks That Actually Help
Eye Rest Techniques That Actually Work
Practical Boundaries for Email and Messages
Small Offline Routines to Build Into Your Day
When Work Screen Time Is Causing Burnout
What I am going to cover
Why Reducing Work Screen Time Actually Matters
Simple Workday Adjustments That Make a Real Difference
How to Structure Your Workday with More Breaks
Specific Tips for Remote Workers
Taking Real Breaks That Actually Help
Eye Rest Techniques That Actually Work
Practical Boundaries for Email and Messages
Small Offline Routines to Build Into Your Day
When Work Screen Time Is Causing Burnout
What to remember
The 20-20-20 rule is the simplest eye strain solution: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds to rest your eye muscles.
Real breaks mean stepping away from ALL screens, not just switching from work screens to phone screens for social media.
Use paper for certain tasks like planning, brainstorming, and document review to naturally reduce screen time while working.
Block notifications during focus time to prevent constant screen checks that fragment your attention throughout the day.
Batch similar tasks together like checking email only 2 to 3 times daily instead of constantly, reducing overall screen engagement.
Walking meetings and audio-only calls replace video screen time while keeping you fully engaged in work conversations.
Time blocking with 90-minute work chunks and 15-minute screen-free breaks matches your brain's natural attention cycles.
Remote workers need physical boundaries like dedicated workspaces and hard stop times to prevent endless screen time.
Screen time reduction often improves productivity because breaks prevent the mental fatigue that makes everything feel harder.
Sometimes the problem is workload, not screen habits, and addressing systemic issues requires bigger conversations about work expectations.
What to remember
The 20-20-20 rule is the simplest eye strain solution: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds to rest your eye muscles.
Real breaks mean stepping away from ALL screens, not just switching from work screens to phone screens for social media.
Use paper for certain tasks like planning, brainstorming, and document review to naturally reduce screen time while working.
Block notifications during focus time to prevent constant screen checks that fragment your attention throughout the day.
Batch similar tasks together like checking email only 2 to 3 times daily instead of constantly, reducing overall screen engagement.
Walking meetings and audio-only calls replace video screen time while keeping you fully engaged in work conversations.
Time blocking with 90-minute work chunks and 15-minute screen-free breaks matches your brain's natural attention cycles.
Remote workers need physical boundaries like dedicated workspaces and hard stop times to prevent endless screen time.
Screen time reduction often improves productivity because breaks prevent the mental fatigue that makes everything feel harder.
Sometimes the problem is workload, not screen habits, and addressing systemic issues requires bigger conversations about work expectations.
What to remember
The 20-20-20 rule is the simplest eye strain solution: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds to rest your eye muscles.
Real breaks mean stepping away from ALL screens, not just switching from work screens to phone screens for social media.
Use paper for certain tasks like planning, brainstorming, and document review to naturally reduce screen time while working.
Block notifications during focus time to prevent constant screen checks that fragment your attention throughout the day.
Batch similar tasks together like checking email only 2 to 3 times daily instead of constantly, reducing overall screen engagement.
Walking meetings and audio-only calls replace video screen time while keeping you fully engaged in work conversations.
Time blocking with 90-minute work chunks and 15-minute screen-free breaks matches your brain's natural attention cycles.
Remote workers need physical boundaries like dedicated workspaces and hard stop times to prevent endless screen time.
Screen time reduction often improves productivity because breaks prevent the mental fatigue that makes everything feel harder.
Sometimes the problem is workload, not screen habits, and addressing systemic issues requires bigger conversations about work expectations.
Why Reducing Work Screen Time Actually Matters
Before we dive into solutions, let's acknowledge what's happening when you're on screens all day.
Your eyes are working overtime. Staring at screens strains your eye muscles, reduces blinking, and causes dryness, irritation, and headaches. Digital eye strain is real and incredibly common.
Your brain gets overstimulated. Constant notifications, switching between tasks, video calls, emails, messages... it's a lot of input without breaks. This creates mental fatigue that makes everything feel harder.
Your body stays stuck. Sitting in the same position, hunched toward a screen for hours, creates neck pain, shoulder tension, and back problems. Our bodies weren't designed for this.
Productivity actually decreases. Counterintuitively, more screen time doesn't equal more output. Your focus deteriorates, decision-making gets worse, and creativity drops when you don't take real breaks.
Burnout creeps in. The always-on, constantly-connected nature of screen-heavy work makes it hard to mentally disconnect, even when you're technically done for the day.
Reducing screen time isn't about being less productive. It's about working in a way that's sustainable and doesn't leave you drained every single day.
Simple Workday Adjustments That Make a Real Difference
Let's start with easy changes you can implement immediately, regardless of your job.
Follow the 20-20-20 Rule for Your Eyes
This is the simplest, most effective way to reduce eye strain.
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eye muscles a break from focusing on a close screen.
Set a timer on your phone or use apps like Time Out or Stretchly that remind you automatically. At first it feels disruptive, but within a few days it becomes automatic, and your eyes will genuinely feel better.
Schedule Real, Screen-Free Breaks
Most people take "breaks" by switching from work screens to phone screens. That's not a break.
Set specific times for actual breaks. Mid-morning, lunch, mid-afternoon. During these breaks, step away from all screens.
Go outside, even for five minutes. Make tea without checking your phone. Stretch. Look out a window. Talk to a coworker in person. Do literally anything that doesn't involve a screen.
These breaks reset your brain and reduce accumulated screen fatigue throughout the day.
Use Paper for Certain Tasks
Not everything needs to happen digitally.
Print documents for review. Reading and editing on paper is easier on your eyes and often helps you catch things you'd miss on screen.
Plan your day on paper. Use a physical notebook or planner for to-do lists and notes. The act of writing by hand engages your brain differently and gives you screen-free time.
Brainstorm offline. Grab a whiteboard, notebook, or sticky notes when thinking through problems. Physical tools often spark better ideas anyway.
Block Notifications During Focus Time
Constant pings pull you back to screens over and over.
Turn off non-essential notifications. Email doesn't need to pop up every time a message arrives. Slack doesn't need to buzz for every channel mention. Calendar reminders don't need to interrupt you 15 minutes before every meeting.
Set focus hours. Block out 2 to 3 hour chunks where you're unreachable except for genuine emergencies. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb, close email, mute messaging apps.
This dramatically reduces the number of times you check screens throughout the day, which adds up to significant time and mental energy saved.
Batch Similar Tasks Together
Task switching forces you to constantly return to your screen in fragmented ways.
Group similar work together. Answer all emails in two or three designated blocks per day instead of constantly throughout the day. Schedule all your calls back-to-back so you're not scattered across the day with meetings.
Dedicate time blocks to specific projects. When you're deep in one task, you're more efficient and need fewer "quick checks" of other tools.
Batching reduces the constant screen-hopping that makes work feel more exhausting than it needs to be.
Have Walking Meetings When Possible
Not every meeting needs to be a video call or in-person sit-down.
For one-on-one conversations, suggest a walking meeting. Grab your phone (audio only), head outside, and discuss while you walk. This works great for brainstorming, check-ins, or casual discussions.
Use audio-only calls instead of video. Video fatigue is real. When cameras aren't necessary, turn them off. You can take notes on paper, stretch, or even walk around during audio calls.
This gets you away from screens while still being fully engaged in work conversations.
How to Structure Your Workday with More Breaks
Beyond individual tips, let's talk about restructuring your entire day to naturally include more screen-free time.
Start Your Day Without Screens
This sets the tone for everything else.
Don't check email or messages first thing. Instead, spend the first 30 to 60 minutes of your workday on focused, important work before opening your inbox.
Plan your day offline. Use the first few minutes to review your to-do list, prioritize tasks, and set intentions on paper or a whiteboard.
Starting screen-free helps you begin the day with clarity instead of immediately getting pulled into reactive mode.
Use Time Blocking with Built-In Breaks
Time blocking isn't just about scheduling work. It's about scheduling rest too.
Block your calendar in 90-minute chunks. Work for 90 minutes, take a 15-minute screen-free break, then start the next block. This matches your brain's natural attention cycles.
Schedule breaks as appointments. Literally put "Walk break" or "Coffee break (no phone)" on your calendar. If it's scheduled, you're more likely to actually take it.
End each work block 5 minutes early. Use those 5 minutes to stand, stretch, look outside, and transition to the next task without immediately jumping from screen task to screen task.
Designate Screen-Free Hours
Pick one or two hours during your workday where you intentionally work offline as much as possible.
Maybe mornings are for deep work with minimal screen use. Draft documents longhand, plan projects on paper, review printed materials, brainstorm on a whiteboard.
Maybe afternoons are for meetings and calls. Use audio instead of video when possible, take walking calls, have in-person conversations.
Having at least some portion of your day with reduced screens makes a noticeable difference in how you feel by the end of the workday.
Create a Hard Stop Time
Especially for remote workers, the workday can bleed endlessly into evening.
Set a firm end time and stick to it. Close your laptop, turn off work notifications, and physically step away from your workspace.
Build a shutdown routine. Spend the last 10 minutes of your day reviewing what you accomplished, planning tomorrow (on paper), and tidying your desk. Then you're done. No "quick checks" of email later.
This boundary prevents work screens from dominating your entire day and evening.
Specific Tips for Remote Workers
Remote work often means even more screen time since all communication, collaboration, and socializing happens digitally.
Separate Your Workspace from Living Space
If possible, work in a specific area that isn't your couch or bed.
Physical boundaries help mental ones. When you leave your workspace, you're signaling to yourself that work (and work screens) are done.
If you don't have a separate room, use something visual like closing your laptop, covering your monitor, or putting work materials in a drawer to create a clear boundary.
Schedule "Coffee Break" Video Calls
Remote work lacks casual hallway conversations and watercooler chats.
Schedule short, informal video or audio calls with coworkers just to catch up, not about work. This replaces some of that social connection without adding more formal meeting screen time.
Better yet, make them phone calls while you walk outside. Social connection without video screen fatigue.
Use Your Commute Time for Non-Screen Activities
You don't have a commute anymore, but that time still exists.
Use your old commute time for screen-free activities. Take a morning walk before starting work. Read a physical book in the evening. Exercise. Cook. Do anything that isn't work and isn't screens.
This creates natural bookends to your workday that help you mentally transition in and out of work mode.
Be Intentional About Background Noise
When you work from home, screens might run constantly in the background "for company."
Try alternatives to screen-based background noise. Play music or podcasts without watching videos. Open a window for natural sounds. Work in silence sometimes.
Reducing ambient screen presence throughout your day adds up to less overall exposure.
Taking Real Breaks That Actually Help
Breaks only work if they're genuine breaks, not just switching from one screen to another.
What Counts as a Real Break
Looking out a window. Seriously. Natural light and distance focus helps your eyes recover.
Walking, even for five minutes. Movement resets your body and mind in ways sitting never will.
Talking to someone in person or on the phone. Human connection without screens refreshes you.
Making something with your hands. Coffee, tea, a snack, organizing your desk, folding laundry. Physical tasks engage your brain differently.
Stretching or simple exercises. Neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, standing up and sitting down a few times. Anything that moves your body.
Sitting in silence or meditating. Just being, with no input, helps your brain process and rest.
What Doesn't Count as a Break
Scrolling social media. This is still screen time and often makes you feel worse, not better.
Checking personal email. Still a screen, still requires focus and decision-making.
Watching videos or reading articles on your phone. Your eyes are still working, just on different content.
Online shopping or browsing. Screen-based distraction isn't rest.
Real breaks mean genuinely stepping away from all screens, even for just a few minutes.
Eye Rest Techniques That Actually Work
Your eyes take the biggest hit from work screen time. Here's how to help them.
Adjust Your Screen Settings
Reduce brightness. Your screen shouldn't be brighter than your surrounding environment. Many people's screens are way too bright, causing unnecessary strain.
Use dark mode or night mode. Especially in the evening, reducing blue light exposure helps.
Increase text size. If you're squinting or leaning in to read, your text is too small. Make it bigger.
Position screens properly. Your monitor should be at arm's length, with the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level. Looking down slightly is easier on your eyes than looking up.
Blink More Intentionally
You blink less when staring at screens, which causes dryness and irritation.
Make a conscious effort to blink more frequently. Sounds silly, but it genuinely helps. Fully close your eyes for a second or two every few minutes.
Use artificial tears if needed. If your eyes are consistently dry, lubricating drops can help.
Do Eye Exercises
Simple exercises reduce strain and fatigue.
Look near, then far. Focus on something close (your hand), then something far (across the room). Repeat a few times.
Roll your eyes slowly. Look up, then slowly circle your eyes clockwise, then counterclockwise.
Close your eyes for 20 seconds. Just giving them a brief rest helps reset them.
Do these during your screen breaks throughout the day.
Practical Boundaries for Email and Messages
The constant checking is exhausting and keeps pulling you back to screens unnecessarily.
Don't Keep Email Open All Day
Close your email client except during designated times.
Check email 2 to 3 times per day. Morning, midday, and before you finish work. Batch all your responses during these windows.
Turn off email notifications entirely. You don't need to know instantly when every email arrives. It can wait until your next check-in time.
Most emails aren't urgent. Treating them like they are keeps you tethered to your screen constantly.
Set Message Expectations
If your team uses Slack, Teams, or similar messaging tools, constant availability isn't sustainable.
Use status updates. Set your status to "In a meeting" or "Focusing" during deep work time. People will learn to respect it.
Respond in batches. Check messages every hour or two, respond to everything, then close it again.
Have a team conversation about response expectations. If your workplace culture expects instant replies 24/7, that's a systemic problem worth addressing. Propose more reasonable expectations.
Use Autoresponders When Needed
If you're taking focused time or you're in back-to-back meetings, let people know.
Set an autoresponder on email or messaging. "I'm in focused work time and will respond this afternoon" or "I'm in meetings until 2pm and will get back to you then."
This manages expectations so you're not constantly checking out of guilt or worry.
Small Offline Routines to Build Into Your Day
Tiny habits throughout your day add up to significant screen time reduction.
Morning planning on paper. Five minutes writing out your priorities and schedule.
Midmorning walk. Ten minutes outside, no phone, just walking.
Lunch away from your desk. Eat somewhere else, ideally without screens.
Afternoon stretch break. Five minutes of simple stretches or movement.
End-of-day reflection. Five minutes reviewing your day and planning tomorrow, on paper.
Post-work transition activity. Immediately after work, do something screen-free for at least 30 minutes (walk, cook, read, exercise).
These small routines create structure that naturally includes screen-free time without requiring major lifestyle changes.
When Work Screen Time Is Causing Burnout
Sometimes excessive screen time is a symptom of deeper work issues that need addressing.
If you're working 10 to 12 hour days, the problem isn't screen time. It's workload or boundaries. No amount of breaks will fix systemic overwork.
If your job requires constant availability, that's unsustainable. Consider having conversations with your manager about more reasonable expectations.
If you feel guilty taking breaks, examine why. Real breaks improve productivity. If your workplace punishes people for reasonable self-care, that's a toxic work environment issue.
If you've tried everything and still feel burned out, it might be time to consider whether your current job is sustainable long-term.
Screen time reduction helps, but it can't fix fundamental job problems. Sometimes the answer is bigger than better screen habits.
Why Reducing Work Screen Time Actually Matters
Before we dive into solutions, let's acknowledge what's happening when you're on screens all day.
Your eyes are working overtime. Staring at screens strains your eye muscles, reduces blinking, and causes dryness, irritation, and headaches. Digital eye strain is real and incredibly common.
Your brain gets overstimulated. Constant notifications, switching between tasks, video calls, emails, messages... it's a lot of input without breaks. This creates mental fatigue that makes everything feel harder.
Your body stays stuck. Sitting in the same position, hunched toward a screen for hours, creates neck pain, shoulder tension, and back problems. Our bodies weren't designed for this.
Productivity actually decreases. Counterintuitively, more screen time doesn't equal more output. Your focus deteriorates, decision-making gets worse, and creativity drops when you don't take real breaks.
Burnout creeps in. The always-on, constantly-connected nature of screen-heavy work makes it hard to mentally disconnect, even when you're technically done for the day.
Reducing screen time isn't about being less productive. It's about working in a way that's sustainable and doesn't leave you drained every single day.
Simple Workday Adjustments That Make a Real Difference
Let's start with easy changes you can implement immediately, regardless of your job.
Follow the 20-20-20 Rule for Your Eyes
This is the simplest, most effective way to reduce eye strain.
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eye muscles a break from focusing on a close screen.
Set a timer on your phone or use apps like Time Out or Stretchly that remind you automatically. At first it feels disruptive, but within a few days it becomes automatic, and your eyes will genuinely feel better.
Schedule Real, Screen-Free Breaks
Most people take "breaks" by switching from work screens to phone screens. That's not a break.
Set specific times for actual breaks. Mid-morning, lunch, mid-afternoon. During these breaks, step away from all screens.
Go outside, even for five minutes. Make tea without checking your phone. Stretch. Look out a window. Talk to a coworker in person. Do literally anything that doesn't involve a screen.
These breaks reset your brain and reduce accumulated screen fatigue throughout the day.
Use Paper for Certain Tasks
Not everything needs to happen digitally.
Print documents for review. Reading and editing on paper is easier on your eyes and often helps you catch things you'd miss on screen.
Plan your day on paper. Use a physical notebook or planner for to-do lists and notes. The act of writing by hand engages your brain differently and gives you screen-free time.
Brainstorm offline. Grab a whiteboard, notebook, or sticky notes when thinking through problems. Physical tools often spark better ideas anyway.
Block Notifications During Focus Time
Constant pings pull you back to screens over and over.
Turn off non-essential notifications. Email doesn't need to pop up every time a message arrives. Slack doesn't need to buzz for every channel mention. Calendar reminders don't need to interrupt you 15 minutes before every meeting.
Set focus hours. Block out 2 to 3 hour chunks where you're unreachable except for genuine emergencies. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb, close email, mute messaging apps.
This dramatically reduces the number of times you check screens throughout the day, which adds up to significant time and mental energy saved.
Batch Similar Tasks Together
Task switching forces you to constantly return to your screen in fragmented ways.
Group similar work together. Answer all emails in two or three designated blocks per day instead of constantly throughout the day. Schedule all your calls back-to-back so you're not scattered across the day with meetings.
Dedicate time blocks to specific projects. When you're deep in one task, you're more efficient and need fewer "quick checks" of other tools.
Batching reduces the constant screen-hopping that makes work feel more exhausting than it needs to be.
Have Walking Meetings When Possible
Not every meeting needs to be a video call or in-person sit-down.
For one-on-one conversations, suggest a walking meeting. Grab your phone (audio only), head outside, and discuss while you walk. This works great for brainstorming, check-ins, or casual discussions.
Use audio-only calls instead of video. Video fatigue is real. When cameras aren't necessary, turn them off. You can take notes on paper, stretch, or even walk around during audio calls.
This gets you away from screens while still being fully engaged in work conversations.
How to Structure Your Workday with More Breaks
Beyond individual tips, let's talk about restructuring your entire day to naturally include more screen-free time.
Start Your Day Without Screens
This sets the tone for everything else.
Don't check email or messages first thing. Instead, spend the first 30 to 60 minutes of your workday on focused, important work before opening your inbox.
Plan your day offline. Use the first few minutes to review your to-do list, prioritize tasks, and set intentions on paper or a whiteboard.
Starting screen-free helps you begin the day with clarity instead of immediately getting pulled into reactive mode.
Use Time Blocking with Built-In Breaks
Time blocking isn't just about scheduling work. It's about scheduling rest too.
Block your calendar in 90-minute chunks. Work for 90 minutes, take a 15-minute screen-free break, then start the next block. This matches your brain's natural attention cycles.
Schedule breaks as appointments. Literally put "Walk break" or "Coffee break (no phone)" on your calendar. If it's scheduled, you're more likely to actually take it.
End each work block 5 minutes early. Use those 5 minutes to stand, stretch, look outside, and transition to the next task without immediately jumping from screen task to screen task.
Designate Screen-Free Hours
Pick one or two hours during your workday where you intentionally work offline as much as possible.
Maybe mornings are for deep work with minimal screen use. Draft documents longhand, plan projects on paper, review printed materials, brainstorm on a whiteboard.
Maybe afternoons are for meetings and calls. Use audio instead of video when possible, take walking calls, have in-person conversations.
Having at least some portion of your day with reduced screens makes a noticeable difference in how you feel by the end of the workday.
Create a Hard Stop Time
Especially for remote workers, the workday can bleed endlessly into evening.
Set a firm end time and stick to it. Close your laptop, turn off work notifications, and physically step away from your workspace.
Build a shutdown routine. Spend the last 10 minutes of your day reviewing what you accomplished, planning tomorrow (on paper), and tidying your desk. Then you're done. No "quick checks" of email later.
This boundary prevents work screens from dominating your entire day and evening.
Specific Tips for Remote Workers
Remote work often means even more screen time since all communication, collaboration, and socializing happens digitally.
Separate Your Workspace from Living Space
If possible, work in a specific area that isn't your couch or bed.
Physical boundaries help mental ones. When you leave your workspace, you're signaling to yourself that work (and work screens) are done.
If you don't have a separate room, use something visual like closing your laptop, covering your monitor, or putting work materials in a drawer to create a clear boundary.
Schedule "Coffee Break" Video Calls
Remote work lacks casual hallway conversations and watercooler chats.
Schedule short, informal video or audio calls with coworkers just to catch up, not about work. This replaces some of that social connection without adding more formal meeting screen time.
Better yet, make them phone calls while you walk outside. Social connection without video screen fatigue.
Use Your Commute Time for Non-Screen Activities
You don't have a commute anymore, but that time still exists.
Use your old commute time for screen-free activities. Take a morning walk before starting work. Read a physical book in the evening. Exercise. Cook. Do anything that isn't work and isn't screens.
This creates natural bookends to your workday that help you mentally transition in and out of work mode.
Be Intentional About Background Noise
When you work from home, screens might run constantly in the background "for company."
Try alternatives to screen-based background noise. Play music or podcasts without watching videos. Open a window for natural sounds. Work in silence sometimes.
Reducing ambient screen presence throughout your day adds up to less overall exposure.
Taking Real Breaks That Actually Help
Breaks only work if they're genuine breaks, not just switching from one screen to another.
What Counts as a Real Break
Looking out a window. Seriously. Natural light and distance focus helps your eyes recover.
Walking, even for five minutes. Movement resets your body and mind in ways sitting never will.
Talking to someone in person or on the phone. Human connection without screens refreshes you.
Making something with your hands. Coffee, tea, a snack, organizing your desk, folding laundry. Physical tasks engage your brain differently.
Stretching or simple exercises. Neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, standing up and sitting down a few times. Anything that moves your body.
Sitting in silence or meditating. Just being, with no input, helps your brain process and rest.
What Doesn't Count as a Break
Scrolling social media. This is still screen time and often makes you feel worse, not better.
Checking personal email. Still a screen, still requires focus and decision-making.
Watching videos or reading articles on your phone. Your eyes are still working, just on different content.
Online shopping or browsing. Screen-based distraction isn't rest.
Real breaks mean genuinely stepping away from all screens, even for just a few minutes.
Eye Rest Techniques That Actually Work
Your eyes take the biggest hit from work screen time. Here's how to help them.
Adjust Your Screen Settings
Reduce brightness. Your screen shouldn't be brighter than your surrounding environment. Many people's screens are way too bright, causing unnecessary strain.
Use dark mode or night mode. Especially in the evening, reducing blue light exposure helps.
Increase text size. If you're squinting or leaning in to read, your text is too small. Make it bigger.
Position screens properly. Your monitor should be at arm's length, with the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level. Looking down slightly is easier on your eyes than looking up.
Blink More Intentionally
You blink less when staring at screens, which causes dryness and irritation.
Make a conscious effort to blink more frequently. Sounds silly, but it genuinely helps. Fully close your eyes for a second or two every few minutes.
Use artificial tears if needed. If your eyes are consistently dry, lubricating drops can help.
Do Eye Exercises
Simple exercises reduce strain and fatigue.
Look near, then far. Focus on something close (your hand), then something far (across the room). Repeat a few times.
Roll your eyes slowly. Look up, then slowly circle your eyes clockwise, then counterclockwise.
Close your eyes for 20 seconds. Just giving them a brief rest helps reset them.
Do these during your screen breaks throughout the day.
Practical Boundaries for Email and Messages
The constant checking is exhausting and keeps pulling you back to screens unnecessarily.
Don't Keep Email Open All Day
Close your email client except during designated times.
Check email 2 to 3 times per day. Morning, midday, and before you finish work. Batch all your responses during these windows.
Turn off email notifications entirely. You don't need to know instantly when every email arrives. It can wait until your next check-in time.
Most emails aren't urgent. Treating them like they are keeps you tethered to your screen constantly.
Set Message Expectations
If your team uses Slack, Teams, or similar messaging tools, constant availability isn't sustainable.
Use status updates. Set your status to "In a meeting" or "Focusing" during deep work time. People will learn to respect it.
Respond in batches. Check messages every hour or two, respond to everything, then close it again.
Have a team conversation about response expectations. If your workplace culture expects instant replies 24/7, that's a systemic problem worth addressing. Propose more reasonable expectations.
Use Autoresponders When Needed
If you're taking focused time or you're in back-to-back meetings, let people know.
Set an autoresponder on email or messaging. "I'm in focused work time and will respond this afternoon" or "I'm in meetings until 2pm and will get back to you then."
This manages expectations so you're not constantly checking out of guilt or worry.
Small Offline Routines to Build Into Your Day
Tiny habits throughout your day add up to significant screen time reduction.
Morning planning on paper. Five minutes writing out your priorities and schedule.
Midmorning walk. Ten minutes outside, no phone, just walking.
Lunch away from your desk. Eat somewhere else, ideally without screens.
Afternoon stretch break. Five minutes of simple stretches or movement.
End-of-day reflection. Five minutes reviewing your day and planning tomorrow, on paper.
Post-work transition activity. Immediately after work, do something screen-free for at least 30 minutes (walk, cook, read, exercise).
These small routines create structure that naturally includes screen-free time without requiring major lifestyle changes.
When Work Screen Time Is Causing Burnout
Sometimes excessive screen time is a symptom of deeper work issues that need addressing.
If you're working 10 to 12 hour days, the problem isn't screen time. It's workload or boundaries. No amount of breaks will fix systemic overwork.
If your job requires constant availability, that's unsustainable. Consider having conversations with your manager about more reasonable expectations.
If you feel guilty taking breaks, examine why. Real breaks improve productivity. If your workplace punishes people for reasonable self-care, that's a toxic work environment issue.
If you've tried everything and still feel burned out, it might be time to consider whether your current job is sustainable long-term.
Screen time reduction helps, but it can't fix fundamental job problems. Sometimes the answer is bigger than better screen habits.
Why Reducing Work Screen Time Actually Matters
Before we dive into solutions, let's acknowledge what's happening when you're on screens all day.
Your eyes are working overtime. Staring at screens strains your eye muscles, reduces blinking, and causes dryness, irritation, and headaches. Digital eye strain is real and incredibly common.
Your brain gets overstimulated. Constant notifications, switching between tasks, video calls, emails, messages... it's a lot of input without breaks. This creates mental fatigue that makes everything feel harder.
Your body stays stuck. Sitting in the same position, hunched toward a screen for hours, creates neck pain, shoulder tension, and back problems. Our bodies weren't designed for this.
Productivity actually decreases. Counterintuitively, more screen time doesn't equal more output. Your focus deteriorates, decision-making gets worse, and creativity drops when you don't take real breaks.
Burnout creeps in. The always-on, constantly-connected nature of screen-heavy work makes it hard to mentally disconnect, even when you're technically done for the day.
Reducing screen time isn't about being less productive. It's about working in a way that's sustainable and doesn't leave you drained every single day.
Simple Workday Adjustments That Make a Real Difference
Let's start with easy changes you can implement immediately, regardless of your job.
Follow the 20-20-20 Rule for Your Eyes
This is the simplest, most effective way to reduce eye strain.
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eye muscles a break from focusing on a close screen.
Set a timer on your phone or use apps like Time Out or Stretchly that remind you automatically. At first it feels disruptive, but within a few days it becomes automatic, and your eyes will genuinely feel better.
Schedule Real, Screen-Free Breaks
Most people take "breaks" by switching from work screens to phone screens. That's not a break.
Set specific times for actual breaks. Mid-morning, lunch, mid-afternoon. During these breaks, step away from all screens.
Go outside, even for five minutes. Make tea without checking your phone. Stretch. Look out a window. Talk to a coworker in person. Do literally anything that doesn't involve a screen.
These breaks reset your brain and reduce accumulated screen fatigue throughout the day.
Use Paper for Certain Tasks
Not everything needs to happen digitally.
Print documents for review. Reading and editing on paper is easier on your eyes and often helps you catch things you'd miss on screen.
Plan your day on paper. Use a physical notebook or planner for to-do lists and notes. The act of writing by hand engages your brain differently and gives you screen-free time.
Brainstorm offline. Grab a whiteboard, notebook, or sticky notes when thinking through problems. Physical tools often spark better ideas anyway.
Block Notifications During Focus Time
Constant pings pull you back to screens over and over.
Turn off non-essential notifications. Email doesn't need to pop up every time a message arrives. Slack doesn't need to buzz for every channel mention. Calendar reminders don't need to interrupt you 15 minutes before every meeting.
Set focus hours. Block out 2 to 3 hour chunks where you're unreachable except for genuine emergencies. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb, close email, mute messaging apps.
This dramatically reduces the number of times you check screens throughout the day, which adds up to significant time and mental energy saved.
Batch Similar Tasks Together
Task switching forces you to constantly return to your screen in fragmented ways.
Group similar work together. Answer all emails in two or three designated blocks per day instead of constantly throughout the day. Schedule all your calls back-to-back so you're not scattered across the day with meetings.
Dedicate time blocks to specific projects. When you're deep in one task, you're more efficient and need fewer "quick checks" of other tools.
Batching reduces the constant screen-hopping that makes work feel more exhausting than it needs to be.
Have Walking Meetings When Possible
Not every meeting needs to be a video call or in-person sit-down.
For one-on-one conversations, suggest a walking meeting. Grab your phone (audio only), head outside, and discuss while you walk. This works great for brainstorming, check-ins, or casual discussions.
Use audio-only calls instead of video. Video fatigue is real. When cameras aren't necessary, turn them off. You can take notes on paper, stretch, or even walk around during audio calls.
This gets you away from screens while still being fully engaged in work conversations.
How to Structure Your Workday with More Breaks
Beyond individual tips, let's talk about restructuring your entire day to naturally include more screen-free time.
Start Your Day Without Screens
This sets the tone for everything else.
Don't check email or messages first thing. Instead, spend the first 30 to 60 minutes of your workday on focused, important work before opening your inbox.
Plan your day offline. Use the first few minutes to review your to-do list, prioritize tasks, and set intentions on paper or a whiteboard.
Starting screen-free helps you begin the day with clarity instead of immediately getting pulled into reactive mode.
Use Time Blocking with Built-In Breaks
Time blocking isn't just about scheduling work. It's about scheduling rest too.
Block your calendar in 90-minute chunks. Work for 90 minutes, take a 15-minute screen-free break, then start the next block. This matches your brain's natural attention cycles.
Schedule breaks as appointments. Literally put "Walk break" or "Coffee break (no phone)" on your calendar. If it's scheduled, you're more likely to actually take it.
End each work block 5 minutes early. Use those 5 minutes to stand, stretch, look outside, and transition to the next task without immediately jumping from screen task to screen task.
Designate Screen-Free Hours
Pick one or two hours during your workday where you intentionally work offline as much as possible.
Maybe mornings are for deep work with minimal screen use. Draft documents longhand, plan projects on paper, review printed materials, brainstorm on a whiteboard.
Maybe afternoons are for meetings and calls. Use audio instead of video when possible, take walking calls, have in-person conversations.
Having at least some portion of your day with reduced screens makes a noticeable difference in how you feel by the end of the workday.
Create a Hard Stop Time
Especially for remote workers, the workday can bleed endlessly into evening.
Set a firm end time and stick to it. Close your laptop, turn off work notifications, and physically step away from your workspace.
Build a shutdown routine. Spend the last 10 minutes of your day reviewing what you accomplished, planning tomorrow (on paper), and tidying your desk. Then you're done. No "quick checks" of email later.
This boundary prevents work screens from dominating your entire day and evening.
Specific Tips for Remote Workers
Remote work often means even more screen time since all communication, collaboration, and socializing happens digitally.
Separate Your Workspace from Living Space
If possible, work in a specific area that isn't your couch or bed.
Physical boundaries help mental ones. When you leave your workspace, you're signaling to yourself that work (and work screens) are done.
If you don't have a separate room, use something visual like closing your laptop, covering your monitor, or putting work materials in a drawer to create a clear boundary.
Schedule "Coffee Break" Video Calls
Remote work lacks casual hallway conversations and watercooler chats.
Schedule short, informal video or audio calls with coworkers just to catch up, not about work. This replaces some of that social connection without adding more formal meeting screen time.
Better yet, make them phone calls while you walk outside. Social connection without video screen fatigue.
Use Your Commute Time for Non-Screen Activities
You don't have a commute anymore, but that time still exists.
Use your old commute time for screen-free activities. Take a morning walk before starting work. Read a physical book in the evening. Exercise. Cook. Do anything that isn't work and isn't screens.
This creates natural bookends to your workday that help you mentally transition in and out of work mode.
Be Intentional About Background Noise
When you work from home, screens might run constantly in the background "for company."
Try alternatives to screen-based background noise. Play music or podcasts without watching videos. Open a window for natural sounds. Work in silence sometimes.
Reducing ambient screen presence throughout your day adds up to less overall exposure.
Taking Real Breaks That Actually Help
Breaks only work if they're genuine breaks, not just switching from one screen to another.
What Counts as a Real Break
Looking out a window. Seriously. Natural light and distance focus helps your eyes recover.
Walking, even for five minutes. Movement resets your body and mind in ways sitting never will.
Talking to someone in person or on the phone. Human connection without screens refreshes you.
Making something with your hands. Coffee, tea, a snack, organizing your desk, folding laundry. Physical tasks engage your brain differently.
Stretching or simple exercises. Neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, standing up and sitting down a few times. Anything that moves your body.
Sitting in silence or meditating. Just being, with no input, helps your brain process and rest.
What Doesn't Count as a Break
Scrolling social media. This is still screen time and often makes you feel worse, not better.
Checking personal email. Still a screen, still requires focus and decision-making.
Watching videos or reading articles on your phone. Your eyes are still working, just on different content.
Online shopping or browsing. Screen-based distraction isn't rest.
Real breaks mean genuinely stepping away from all screens, even for just a few minutes.
Eye Rest Techniques That Actually Work
Your eyes take the biggest hit from work screen time. Here's how to help them.
Adjust Your Screen Settings
Reduce brightness. Your screen shouldn't be brighter than your surrounding environment. Many people's screens are way too bright, causing unnecessary strain.
Use dark mode or night mode. Especially in the evening, reducing blue light exposure helps.
Increase text size. If you're squinting or leaning in to read, your text is too small. Make it bigger.
Position screens properly. Your monitor should be at arm's length, with the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level. Looking down slightly is easier on your eyes than looking up.
Blink More Intentionally
You blink less when staring at screens, which causes dryness and irritation.
Make a conscious effort to blink more frequently. Sounds silly, but it genuinely helps. Fully close your eyes for a second or two every few minutes.
Use artificial tears if needed. If your eyes are consistently dry, lubricating drops can help.
Do Eye Exercises
Simple exercises reduce strain and fatigue.
Look near, then far. Focus on something close (your hand), then something far (across the room). Repeat a few times.
Roll your eyes slowly. Look up, then slowly circle your eyes clockwise, then counterclockwise.
Close your eyes for 20 seconds. Just giving them a brief rest helps reset them.
Do these during your screen breaks throughout the day.
Practical Boundaries for Email and Messages
The constant checking is exhausting and keeps pulling you back to screens unnecessarily.
Don't Keep Email Open All Day
Close your email client except during designated times.
Check email 2 to 3 times per day. Morning, midday, and before you finish work. Batch all your responses during these windows.
Turn off email notifications entirely. You don't need to know instantly when every email arrives. It can wait until your next check-in time.
Most emails aren't urgent. Treating them like they are keeps you tethered to your screen constantly.
Set Message Expectations
If your team uses Slack, Teams, or similar messaging tools, constant availability isn't sustainable.
Use status updates. Set your status to "In a meeting" or "Focusing" during deep work time. People will learn to respect it.
Respond in batches. Check messages every hour or two, respond to everything, then close it again.
Have a team conversation about response expectations. If your workplace culture expects instant replies 24/7, that's a systemic problem worth addressing. Propose more reasonable expectations.
Use Autoresponders When Needed
If you're taking focused time or you're in back-to-back meetings, let people know.
Set an autoresponder on email or messaging. "I'm in focused work time and will respond this afternoon" or "I'm in meetings until 2pm and will get back to you then."
This manages expectations so you're not constantly checking out of guilt or worry.
Small Offline Routines to Build Into Your Day
Tiny habits throughout your day add up to significant screen time reduction.
Morning planning on paper. Five minutes writing out your priorities and schedule.
Midmorning walk. Ten minutes outside, no phone, just walking.
Lunch away from your desk. Eat somewhere else, ideally without screens.
Afternoon stretch break. Five minutes of simple stretches or movement.
End-of-day reflection. Five minutes reviewing your day and planning tomorrow, on paper.
Post-work transition activity. Immediately after work, do something screen-free for at least 30 minutes (walk, cook, read, exercise).
These small routines create structure that naturally includes screen-free time without requiring major lifestyle changes.
When Work Screen Time Is Causing Burnout
Sometimes excessive screen time is a symptom of deeper work issues that need addressing.
If you're working 10 to 12 hour days, the problem isn't screen time. It's workload or boundaries. No amount of breaks will fix systemic overwork.
If your job requires constant availability, that's unsustainable. Consider having conversations with your manager about more reasonable expectations.
If you feel guilty taking breaks, examine why. Real breaks improve productivity. If your workplace punishes people for reasonable self-care, that's a toxic work environment issue.
If you've tried everything and still feel burned out, it might be time to consider whether your current job is sustainable long-term.
Screen time reduction helps, but it can't fix fundamental job problems. Sometimes the answer is bigger than better screen habits.
You are not the only one asking this
How can I reduce screen time at work without affecting productivity?
Use the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds) to rest your eyes while working. Take real 15-minute screen-free breaks between 90-minute work blocks. Batch similar tasks together to reduce constant screen-switching. Use paper for planning, brainstorming, and document review. Block notifications during focus time so you're not constantly pulled back to screens. Have audio-only calls or walking meetings instead of video when possible. These changes often improve productivity because they prevent the mental fatigue that makes work harder.
What are practical steps for remote workers to reduce screen time?
Create physical boundaries by working in a dedicated space you can leave at day's end. Schedule actual breaks away from all screens, not just switching from work to personal devices. Use your former commute time for screen-free activities like walking or reading. Have audio-only calls with coworkers instead of video when cameras aren't necessary. Set a hard stop time and build a shutdown routine that closes your laptop and turns off work notifications. Use paper for morning planning and end-of-day reflection. These boundaries help prevent remote work from becoming all-screens-all-the-time.
How do I take real breaks during a screen-heavy workday?
Real breaks mean completely stepping away from all screens for 10 to 15 minutes. Go outside, even briefly. Make tea without checking your phone. Stretch or do simple exercises. Talk to someone in person or by phone. Look out a window at something far away. Do any physical task with your hands. Sit quietly without any input. Schedule these breaks as calendar appointments so you actually take them. Scrolling social media, checking personal email, or watching videos don't count as breaks because your eyes and brain are still working.
How can I stop constantly checking email and messages?
Close your email client except during 2 to 3 designated check-in times daily (morning, midday, end of day). Turn off all email and message notifications so you're not alerted to every incoming item. Batch all your responses during specific windows instead of responding constantly throughout the day. Use status updates like "In focused work" on messaging apps. Set autoresponders during deep work time explaining when you'll respond. Have a team conversation about reasonable response time expectations if your workplace expects constant availability.
What should I do when work screen time is causing burnout?
If you're working 10 to 12 hour days, the core problem is workload or boundaries, not just screen management. Have honest conversations with your manager about sustainable work expectations and reasonable availability requirements. Examine whether guilt about taking breaks comes from personal habits or toxic workplace culture. Use your full lunch breaks and vacation time without guilt. If you've implemented better screen habits but still feel burned out, consider whether your current job situation is sustainable long-term. Sometimes the answer requires bigger changes than just better screen practices.
You are not the only one asking this
How can I reduce screen time at work without affecting productivity?
Use the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds) to rest your eyes while working. Take real 15-minute screen-free breaks between 90-minute work blocks. Batch similar tasks together to reduce constant screen-switching. Use paper for planning, brainstorming, and document review. Block notifications during focus time so you're not constantly pulled back to screens. Have audio-only calls or walking meetings instead of video when possible. These changes often improve productivity because they prevent the mental fatigue that makes work harder.
What are practical steps for remote workers to reduce screen time?
Create physical boundaries by working in a dedicated space you can leave at day's end. Schedule actual breaks away from all screens, not just switching from work to personal devices. Use your former commute time for screen-free activities like walking or reading. Have audio-only calls with coworkers instead of video when cameras aren't necessary. Set a hard stop time and build a shutdown routine that closes your laptop and turns off work notifications. Use paper for morning planning and end-of-day reflection. These boundaries help prevent remote work from becoming all-screens-all-the-time.
How do I take real breaks during a screen-heavy workday?
Real breaks mean completely stepping away from all screens for 10 to 15 minutes. Go outside, even briefly. Make tea without checking your phone. Stretch or do simple exercises. Talk to someone in person or by phone. Look out a window at something far away. Do any physical task with your hands. Sit quietly without any input. Schedule these breaks as calendar appointments so you actually take them. Scrolling social media, checking personal email, or watching videos don't count as breaks because your eyes and brain are still working.
How can I stop constantly checking email and messages?
Close your email client except during 2 to 3 designated check-in times daily (morning, midday, end of day). Turn off all email and message notifications so you're not alerted to every incoming item. Batch all your responses during specific windows instead of responding constantly throughout the day. Use status updates like "In focused work" on messaging apps. Set autoresponders during deep work time explaining when you'll respond. Have a team conversation about reasonable response time expectations if your workplace expects constant availability.
What should I do when work screen time is causing burnout?
If you're working 10 to 12 hour days, the core problem is workload or boundaries, not just screen management. Have honest conversations with your manager about sustainable work expectations and reasonable availability requirements. Examine whether guilt about taking breaks comes from personal habits or toxic workplace culture. Use your full lunch breaks and vacation time without guilt. If you've implemented better screen habits but still feel burned out, consider whether your current job situation is sustainable long-term. Sometimes the answer requires bigger changes than just better screen practices.
You are not the only one asking this
How can I reduce screen time at work without affecting productivity?
Use the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds) to rest your eyes while working. Take real 15-minute screen-free breaks between 90-minute work blocks. Batch similar tasks together to reduce constant screen-switching. Use paper for planning, brainstorming, and document review. Block notifications during focus time so you're not constantly pulled back to screens. Have audio-only calls or walking meetings instead of video when possible. These changes often improve productivity because they prevent the mental fatigue that makes work harder.
What are practical steps for remote workers to reduce screen time?
Create physical boundaries by working in a dedicated space you can leave at day's end. Schedule actual breaks away from all screens, not just switching from work to personal devices. Use your former commute time for screen-free activities like walking or reading. Have audio-only calls with coworkers instead of video when cameras aren't necessary. Set a hard stop time and build a shutdown routine that closes your laptop and turns off work notifications. Use paper for morning planning and end-of-day reflection. These boundaries help prevent remote work from becoming all-screens-all-the-time.
How do I take real breaks during a screen-heavy workday?
Real breaks mean completely stepping away from all screens for 10 to 15 minutes. Go outside, even briefly. Make tea without checking your phone. Stretch or do simple exercises. Talk to someone in person or by phone. Look out a window at something far away. Do any physical task with your hands. Sit quietly without any input. Schedule these breaks as calendar appointments so you actually take them. Scrolling social media, checking personal email, or watching videos don't count as breaks because your eyes and brain are still working.
How can I stop constantly checking email and messages?
Close your email client except during 2 to 3 designated check-in times daily (morning, midday, end of day). Turn off all email and message notifications so you're not alerted to every incoming item. Batch all your responses during specific windows instead of responding constantly throughout the day. Use status updates like "In focused work" on messaging apps. Set autoresponders during deep work time explaining when you'll respond. Have a team conversation about reasonable response time expectations if your workplace expects constant availability.
What should I do when work screen time is causing burnout?
If you're working 10 to 12 hour days, the core problem is workload or boundaries, not just screen management. Have honest conversations with your manager about sustainable work expectations and reasonable availability requirements. Examine whether guilt about taking breaks comes from personal habits or toxic workplace culture. Use your full lunch breaks and vacation time without guilt. If you've implemented better screen habits but still feel burned out, consider whether your current job situation is sustainable long-term. Sometimes the answer requires bigger changes than just better screen practices.
Here's the truth: some days you'll spend 8 hours staring at screens with minimal breaks because that's what the work demands.
That's okay.
The goal isn't perfection. It's making small, consistent changes that reduce your overall screen exposure and help you feel better most days.
Start with one or two tips from this article. Maybe it's the 20-20-20 rule and taking a real lunch break. Do those consistently for a week. Then add something else.
Small changes compound. Your eyes, brain, and body will thank you.
Here's the truth: some days you'll spend 8 hours staring at screens with minimal breaks because that's what the work demands.
That's okay.
The goal isn't perfection. It's making small, consistent changes that reduce your overall screen exposure and help you feel better most days.
Start with one or two tips from this article. Maybe it's the 20-20-20 rule and taking a real lunch break. Do those consistently for a week. Then add something else.
Small changes compound. Your eyes, brain, and body will thank you.
Here's the truth: some days you'll spend 8 hours staring at screens with minimal breaks because that's what the work demands.
That's okay.
The goal isn't perfection. It's making small, consistent changes that reduce your overall screen exposure and help you feel better most days.
Start with one or two tips from this article. Maybe it's the 20-20-20 rule and taking a real lunch break. Do those consistently for a week. Then add something else.
Small changes compound. Your eyes, brain, and body will thank you.
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