Office Organizing Tips to Support Eye Health at Work
It’s no secret that in today’s digital age most of us are spending the majority of our work days staring at a computer screen. The American Optometric Association is in agreement that today’s office workers are at a higher risk for vision problems. According to this infographic, 65% of Americans experience digital eye strain symptoms such as dry and irritated eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, neck and back pain, and headaches. Why is this important? Without proper vision correction, worker productivity can decrease by as much as 20%! This Professional Organizer in NYC understands how important eye health is to productivity and suggests that you follow these office organizing strategies.
Start by rearranging work stations. One culprit of eye health problems is that most of us are not sitting properly at our desks and viewing computer screens from an optimal angle and distance. Move your computer so that more of your eye surface is covered by your eyelid, and that the monitor is between 18 to 30 inches away from your eyes.
Reduce glare and reflection to monitors and screens. Don’t put screens below light sources, and never in front of or behind windows. Talk to your staff about adjusting the brightness and contrast of their monitors to their specific preference levels. You can also place filters on overhead lighting to diffuse the light, or try using anti-glare screen filters for your monitor screen.
Make changes to your office lighting. Start by replacing any flickering lights around your office space. You can also swap out the bulbs or tubes for options that are less bright. If overhead lighting bothers you, try using a floor or desk lamp instead. If natural light in your office space is a problem, try controlling it using curtains or blinds.
Provide training to your staff. First, promote regular breaks so that your team is not spending all day focused on their screens. Next, encourage your staff to take an individualized approach to their own eye health. Request they take a look at their own screens and adjust the font so that it’s larger and less taxing on their eyes to read. Also, encourage your team to schedule yearly vision tests.
With more than 10 million visits to the eye doctor each year for computer vision syndrome, we need to take more of a proactive approach to supporting eye health in the workplace. These office organizing tips, plus the information in the infographic, will put you on the path to providing an office atmosphere that makes eye health a priority. For more office organizing tips and hands on strategies, reach out to this Professional Organizer in NYC!