There’s a wide gamut of individuals that work from or read off of papers in their daily life. High school and college students read off of class notes to type up notes, book reports and major projects. Teachers read off of papers when they are inputting their data from semester grades.  And there are a large number of professionals that read off of handwritten notes or other reading material to type of reports on their work computers. When it comes to your daily responsibilities with work and school, paper document ergonomics is an important factor to keep in mind when considering the well-being of your mind and body. Here are a few ergonomic setup tips to create an ergonomic workstation that best suits your lifestyle and career responsibilities.

• Few people would realize that the positioning and placement of the paper documents you are working off of play an important role in your comfort level, especially when it comes down to your neck and shoulder pain.

Don’t put paper documents and reading material flat on your desk while reading off of them. You are more likely to tilt or twist your neck in between reading the document and looking at your computer screen. The repeated movement in the neck can cause neck strain and poor posture.

• Your head and neck should not be twisted or bent in strange angles while you are working in front of a computer screen. If you are straining to read off of a paper document while working on your computer can lead to shoulder and neck pains and eye strain.
• Use a paper holder to put your reading material as close as possible to the computer screen. This distance and the level of the paper should be at the same as your computer monitor. Having these at the same level will minimize how many times your eyes will refocus between looking at the document and computer screen and you won’t have to tilt your head in different directions to look at each item. There are three different types of paper holders.

In-line document holders place the documents between the computer screen and keyboard in a specific angle that follows your field of vision. This type of holder eliminates your side-to-side head and neck movements and makes it easier for you to look at the computer screen and document.

Screen-mounted paper holders are connected to the side of your computer screen so that the document is in alignment. This type of holder is ideal for those that only work off of a single or few sheets of paper.

Freestanding paper holders have a sloping surface that should be in alignment with the same plane as your computer screen. On some models, you can adjust the height and/or angle to best suit your field of vision. Depending on the type of reading material you are working off of, there are freestanding paper holder models that are idea for holding a single piece of paper or a large book. Freestanding paper holders should be positioned near the side of the computer screen and at the same distance as the screen. It is also possible to rotate the holder at different angles to follow the visual field curve if necessary.

• Install proper lighting at your ergonomic workstation. Few people make it a priority to establish ample lighting in their work area. However, not enough lighting can trigger glare problems with your computer screen and force you to strain and squint your eyes. If you don’t have proper ceiling lights, consider a desk lamp or some other type of task lighting to allow for proper lighting on the documents.

Because there are so many industries that require workers to read off of other documents to complete work on their computer screen, it’s important to ask yourself if you are using correct paper document ergonomics. There’s nothing appealing to eye strain so make sure your work station is fully equipped with ergonomic products.

Look into an ergonomic keyboard, mouse, chair and footrest and other ergonomic office products to ensure that the well-being of your body is maintained. With so many products out there, shop around and find the best items for your work station.

Eye strain occurs when your eyes become tired after prolonged or intense use, especially after using a computer for many hours a day, driving at night for long, uninterrupted stretches or reading in poor light.   To help shed a little more light on the topic, here are a few more eye-opening facts about eye strain.

#1: Eye strain can be experienced in a number of different ways, depending upon the cause.  Common symptoms of eye strain include:

• Burning sensation in the eyes
• Watering of the eyes
• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Headaches

#2:  Unwanted glare on computer monitors can cause eye strain and other problems, including back and neck discomfort due to having to sit in an uncomfortable position avoid the screen glare.

#3:  In order to help avoid eye strain while working for prolonged periods at the computer, consider the 20/20/20 rule – Every 20 minutes, look away at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

#4: Data entry workers are not the only professionals at risk for developing eye strain. Several other jobs are also associated with high rates of eye strain, including:

• Fishermen (from staring at the water)
• Athletes (from focusing on moving objects)
• Librarians (from reading all day)

#5:  Multi-taskers beware, working with a laptop computer on your lap while watching TV in the background is a major source of eye strain.   In fact, working with the monitor at that sharp an angle below your eyes is also a source of eye strain (and neck strain and back problems as well).  Ideally, the monitor should be at a 20 degree angle below your line of sight.

#6:   For individuals in their 30’s and 40’s, eye strain may be a sign that they need eyeglasses in order to correct their vision.  Eyesight diminishes with age, so this problem is not uncommon, especially for those who read or work on the computer excessively for work or pleasure.

#7:  Improve the lighting in your workspace or reading area. A big part of ergonomic design is proper lighting.   And when lighting is improved, the chances for eye strain becoming a problem are greatly diminished.  To avoid eye strain, make sure that you don’t work or read in dimly lit areas.    If you are reading a book, the light should be directly behind you, so that the most light is shining right on the book’s pages.

#8:  Blink more often. It may sound a little crazy, but forcing yourself to blink more often throughout the day will help reduce eye strain.  When we work at our computer, we blink less – which in turn causes the dryness that can lead to eye strain.  Blinking more lubricates the eyes properly and helps reduce the chance of developing eye problems.

#9: Place your keyboard directly in front of the monitor. By doing so, you will reduce unnecessary turning and looking that can cause eye strain.  Also, use an ergonomic keyboard to reduce the chance of developing carpal tunnel syndrome or other repetitive stress disorders.

#10:  Use a soft room light when watching television.  If there is too much contrast between the light in the room and the light emitting from the TV, it can cause eyestrain.

#11: It is important to see a doctor about your eye strain issues if you experience double vision, blurred vision or physical discomfort in the eye as a result of the problem.

#12: Eye strain does not cause any permanent damage, but can be a continuing problem unless you change your environment to one that is more ergonomically correct, and partake in better habits regarding reading, computer use and lighting.