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Category: Screen-work health

Short guides on eye care, desk movement, breathing and calm.

  • The 20-20-20 rule: how to do it and why it helps

    The 20-20-20 rule: how to do it and why it helps

    The 20-20-20 rule says: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for at least 20 seconds. It gives the eye’s focusing muscles a rest during long screen work, and it is a simple way to ease tired, dry or aching eyes.

    How to do it, step by step

    • Work for 20 minutes.
    • Look away from the screen at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away: a window, a far wall, the street.
    • Hold your gaze there for at least 20 seconds and let your eyes soften.
    • Blink slowly a few times, then go back to work.

    Why it helps

    Looking at a screen keeps the muscles that focus the eye working up close for hours, and we blink less while we do it. A regular look into the distance relaxes those muscles and lets you blink normally again. Many eye-care organisations suggest it for screen eye strain. It eases strain; it does not cure an eye condition.

    Make it a habit

    The rule fails for one reason: we forget. Set a repeating 20-minute timer, or use a break reminder that does the counting and tells you where to look. AURA BREAK turns the rule into a short voiced break so you can simply follow it.

    Make it work better

    • Blink fully, not halfway, during the 20 seconds.
    • Keep the screen about an arm’s length away, with the top at or just below eye level.
    • Light the room so the screen is not the brightest thing in it.
    • Take a longer break every hour: stand up, stretch and look outside if you can.

    When to see an eye doctor

    If your eyes hurt a lot, your vision changes suddenly, or the strain does not ease with rest, see an eye doctor. Educational wellbeing guidance, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.

    More from the studio

    See our guide to eye strain relief and our other apps and guides.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is it 20 feet or 6 metres?

    Both: 20 feet is about 6 metres.

    Do I have to stand up?

    No. You only need to look at something far away. Standing is a bonus.

    Is 20 seconds enough?

    20 seconds is the minimum. A little longer is fine.

  • Cyberchondria: why searching symptoms makes worry worse

    Cyberchondria: why searching symptoms makes worry worse

    Cyberchondria is the cycle where searching for symptoms online raises your worry instead of calming it. You search to feel safe, find a frightening possibility, worry more, and search again. Breaking the cycle starts with changing what you do at the moment of the urge.

    How the cycle works

    Something in your body feels odd. You search. The results list rare, serious causes next to ordinary ones, and your mind fixes on the worst. The worry rises, so you search again for something that finally feels certain. It never does, and the short relief of each search teaches your mind to repeat it. Cyberchondria is not an official diagnosis; it is a common name for this pattern.

    Why searching rarely reassures

    Search results cannot examine you. They offer possibilities, not answers, and uncertainty is exactly what an anxious mind cannot bear. Each search trains you to treat uncertainty as an emergency.

    Six steps to break the cycle

    • Notice the urge and name it. Say: “This is the urge to search.”
    • Wait twenty minutes. Urges rise and fall. Do something else until it passes.
    • If you must look, look once. One trusted source, one time, then close it.
    • Write the worry down instead of typing it into a search box.
    • Move your body. A short walk or a few slow breaths changes how the worry feels.
    • Take real symptoms to a doctor. Sudden, severe or lasting changes need a person, not a search.

    When to get help

    If health worry is taking over your days, sleep or relationships, talk to a doctor or a mental-health professional. You do not have to manage it alone.

    A gentler path

    Calm Path is a self-guided app for people who worry about their health. It turns these steps into small daily missions with calming tools for the moment the urge hits. It is self-help and does not replace professional care. Educational wellbeing guidance, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is cyberchondria a real diagnosis?

    It is not an official diagnosis. It is a common name for repeated, anxious searching about symptoms.

    How do I stop googling my symptoms?

    Notice the urge, wait twenty minutes, look at one trusted source once if you must, and take real symptoms to a doctor.

    Does it mean something is wrong with me?

    No. It is a very common pattern, and it responds well to changing the habit.

  • Office stretches you can do at your desk

    Office stretches you can do at your desk

    Guide

    Hours in a chair tighten the body. These office stretches take about a minute each and need no equipment.

    Neck side stretch

    Let your right ear drop toward your right shoulder. Hold for five slow breaths, then switch sides.

    Chest opener

    Clasp your hands behind your back, lift them slightly and open your chest. Breathe slowly.

    Wrist and forearm stretch

    Extend one arm, palm up, and gently pull the fingers back with the other hand. Hold, then switch.

    Seated back extension

    Place your hands on your lower back and lean back gently over the chair. Hold for a few breaths.

    How often

    A short break every hour is enough to notice a difference. Reminders help, because it is easy to forget.

    Try it

    Let a guide do the timing for you

    AURA BREAK walks you through this with voice and sound, offline. See AURA BREAK. Educational wellbeing guidance, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.

  • Eye strain relief: a 2-minute desk routine

    Eye strain relief: a 2-minute desk routine

    Guide

    Eye strain after a long day at a screen is common. This two-minute routine can ease tired, dry eyes. It is wellbeing guidance, not medical advice.

    1 · Look far away (20 seconds)

    Look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for 20 seconds. This is the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, 20 feet, 20 seconds. Let your eyes soften and your face relax.

    2 · Blink fully (10 times)

    When we stare at a screen we blink less and less fully. Close your eyes gently, then open them. Ten slow, full blinks help spread tears across the eye.

    3 · Palm rest (30 seconds)

    Rub your palms together to warm them, then cup them over your closed eyes without pressing. Rest in the dark for half a minute.

    4 · Move your gaze

    Look slowly to the far left, far right, up and down, then draw a slow circle. Keep your head still.

    When to see a doctor

    If your eyes hurt a lot, your vision changes suddenly, or the strain does not ease with rest, see an eye doctor.

    Try it

    Let a guide do the timing for you

    AURA BREAK walks you through this with voice and sound, offline. See AURA BREAK. Educational wellbeing guidance, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.

  • Best exercises during work breaks

    Best exercises during work breaks

    Guide

    You do not need a gym to look after a desk-bound body. These five short exercises fit into a break of two to five minutes.

    Neck turns

    Sit tall. Turn your head slowly to the right, hold for five breaths, then to the left. Do not force it.

    Shoulder rolls

    Roll your shoulders backward ten times in slow circles, then forward ten times.

    Wrist circles

    Extend your arms and circle your wrists ten times each way. Gently open and close your fists.

    Seated twist

    Sit tall, place your right hand on your left knee and turn gently to the left. Hold for five breaths, then switch sides.

    Slow breathing

    Breathe in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four. Repeat four times.

    A note on safety

    Stop if anything hurts. If you have pain or an injury, ask a doctor or physiotherapist first.

    Try it

    Let a guide do the timing for you

    AURA BREAK walks you through this with voice and sound, offline. See AURA BREAK. Educational wellbeing guidance, not medical advice. If you are worried about your health, talk to a doctor.