As we all know, staring at a screen causes eye strain. When you do this too long and too often, your eyes may not recover. This eye strain is often called computer vision syndrome (CVS) and can cause headaches, fatigue, dry eyes, and long-term damage.

What is the 20–20–20 Rule?

Every 20 minutes you spend using a screen, look away at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. 20 feet for 20 seconds is the optimal distance and time to allow your eyes to relax.

How to do it

  • Set a timer for 20 minutes.
  • When the timer goes off, look away from your screen and at something for 20 seconds.
  • Repeat.

What can we do for 20 seconds?

20 seconds is not very long. But there are some healthy things we can do during this time.

  • Continue thinking about what you are working on without losing focus. I’ve found that stepping away for a few seconds can help me think through a problem.
  • Stretch your body.
  • Do some burpees or something to get the blood flowing.
  • Take a drink of water.
  • A time check is helpful when you lose focus on a particular task. Are you spending too much time? Do you need to wrap things up?

Additional Reading