Terminal Fatigue

[Tina Sansom <kms -at- PLAZA -dot- DS -dot- ADP -dot- COM>]

Tracie Speer writes:

I am still in school and not yet in the field, but I cannot imagine
staring at a computer screen for 8 solid hours.  When I am working at
a computer terminal for serveral hours, I'm exhausted and suffering
from a headache when I'm finished.  As a technical writer, won't have
spend at least a few hours a day completing non-computer responsibilities,
such as interviewing and user testing?  Do many of you suffer from
fatigue and headaches after long stretches in front of the terminal?
How do you relieve the negative consequences of interfacing with a computer?


------

Well, there are things you can do to alleviate this kind of thing.  First
of all, if you get headaches after only a couple of hours, I'd suggest an
eye test.  I found my excruciating headaches went away after I started
wearing glasses.  If you already wear them, your prescription may need
updating.  Depending on your type of vision problem, you may need
computer glasses (specially focussed for the distance to a computer screen).

Also, proper posture, keyboard height, chair height, etc. help also.  I
have a keyboard tray (adjustable) with the mouse at the same level as the
keyboard (not on the desktop), an adjustable chair, and a footrest.  I
believe there are books on ergonomics available.  Be aware of your posture
when you're typing... are your shoulders hunched forward?  Do you have to
squint to see the screen?  I also found it a big help to dim the lights,
so I have fewer "glare spots" on the screen from overhead flourescent
lights (horrible things).  If you can't dim the lights (surrounded by
people who like them on, in a cubicle type environment) there's a lot you
can do with strategically placed umbrellas. (I had them propped up on
filing cabinets, etc).  You can also unscrew the tubes in the fixture
directly over you, so only one fixture is out.

Also, I don't spend 8 hours a day looking at my screen.  I have to talk to
people, walk around, go find a working test system, go to meetings, etc.
If I don't have any diversions like that in my day, I try to make them.
Even if it's just getting up to go look out the window.

Good luck!
--
Tina Sansom            "You see, it takes all the running you can do, to
kms -at- plaza -dot- ds -dot- adp -dot- com    keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere
(503)294-4200 x2326     else, you must run at least twice as fast!"
                              --Lewis Carroll,  _Through the Looking Glass_