12 Tips Related to Health Awareness for Programmers
1. The Eyes
Do not stare at the screen continuously. You can follow the 20-20-20 rule. After 20 minutes, stare at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds or more. I usually go every hour and a half or sometimes three hours and come back with watery eyes. Wash your face. Feels fresh too. The eyes also get some rest. Monitor brightness should be taken care of. If possible, buy a good monitor. Many people type on a laptop keyboard with the monitor very close. And I think the screen comes and catches the eye. So I use an external keyboard and mouse so the screen is a bit further away. I don't know if this is good or bad. But I like it.
2. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Programmers get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from typing a lot. Hand strength decreases. There is a problem with the fingers. I am afraid of this sometimes. All I do is typing. What happens if this is closed? Will voice typing work? Or to wait for the system of typing with the thinking of the neurons of the brain?
I sometimes use the mouse with my left hand and sometimes with my right hand to reduce carpal tunnel. Sometimes I try to type with one hand. A little slow. Let's try too. Feelings of pain in the wrist or the base of the fingers actually have no brake. massage
3. Back Pain
Many people use expensive ergonomic chairs. I use simple plastic ones (IKEA chairs). This should not be done though. Still like it. Tried using cushioned chairs once or twice. I don't know why I don't like it. So I backed a simple chair again. I usually like solid wooden chairs. Can't even sleep
Once I was buying a small extra cushion from Amazon for waist and back support. This gives comfort. But at some point I lost it while moving house.
4. Sitting Posture
Try to sit with your back straight. Try to sit with the monitor angle correct. Earlier I used regular table. Later I bought a height adjustable table from Facebook Marketplace on the advice of a team member ($120). During the month of fasting, I stand and work very little. Other times it is seen that I stand and work for 3-4 hours daily. Earlier when there was no table to adjust height. Then with books under the laptop. I used to work standing with books under the keyboard. It took just a minute to change. Nothing more.
5. Food Chess (Obesity / Weight Gain)
Many programmers make less of these moves. He sits in front of the computer all day. No need for exercise. He eats whatever he gets all day. As a result, weight gain. In this case I am. Try to follow three rules. One, do not eat rice at night. Eat something like roti, parota or roll type. (If someone invited, it is excused on that day) Rice or Salat at noon. breakfast in the morning I try to eat less beef. Eat food on time. Means lunch at 12.00 noon. no excuse I usually eat dinner between 6-7pm. (No more hunger at night.)
I have reduced a lot of fritters, burgers, pizzas, birani. I have reduced the iftar too much.
6. Exercise
I don't like going to the gym. Since there is no desire or option to build muscle. Moreover, the treadmill is also boring. So for me there are three parts of exercise. I try to take 10,000 steps daily. Truck on smart watch. Most days this is 10,000 steps. Sometimes walking to meetings. And try to run 3 days a week. Usually run 3-5 miles. And sometimes or when I get sleepy, I give pushups.
I like to run outside. I think of a lot of plans/strategies while running. A lot of my strategy or thinking comes from the running side
7. Headache, neck pain
I drink enough water. Even then ran more (sweated that day) and held his head. However, if I run a lot -- like a half marathon or 10 miles, I try to drink more Gatorade type vitamin water. Because salt and mineral voids are reduced. Even then I see that day holding his head. And on normal days I have less headache problem due to adequate sleep and drinking water. And due to adjusting the height level of the monitor, the problem of neck pain is not much. Rarely occurs when sleeping or turning the pillow. Which heals within two days.
8. Imposter Syndrome
Although this doesn't happen to me for long as I work long hours. But when I first joined the job. Then there was this. This is Imposter Syndrome -- I might not. How big is everyone else? How much do you know? I don't know anything. It seemed like a lot. My forehead was good and one of my colleagues guided me very well. He also shared many things that he did not know. I gradually got involved in teaching. I started giving a talk on meetup. Then this imposter syndrome is gone.
9. Sleep
There was a time when I would turn off the light at 10:00 PM and get up at 5:00 AM. Now that is not possible. But try to maintain minimum 7 hours of sleep. If it is a little less, we try to make it up the next day. I never sleep during the day. Goes to bed at night (breaks a bit for Sehri now) still tries to get 7 hours of sleep
10. Caffeine (tea, coffee, cold drinks/soda, energy drinks)
I don't drink tea and coffee for a long time. Didn't even take a sip. I don't drink cold drinks for the last 8-9 years. Not even a sip. And not energy drinks either. So, I don't have caffeine related issues. Some are addicted to coffee or tea. Otherwise the eyes cannot open. or someone
One tries to eat in moderation. But I am not in that line. Some even say that green tea is good, listen to them. But don't eat. Some people say that if you eat pizza or birani, you want coke. I don't argue with them. But I'm doing fine without coke.
11. Stress / Mental Health
There was a lot of stress at the beginning of the career. First year and a half. Slowly I am able to grasp the tasks. I can get hold of the process and since then the stress is not so much. Continues in a very relaxed mood.
But some people especially juniors have this more. Good para about project deadlines. I will tell them to keep working. These will come in line.
12. Vitamin D Deficiency.
I have this. I am the home farm chicken type. So there is vitamin D deficiency. The doctor said if it decreases further then he will give tablets. I try to walk outside sometimes to reduce it. I try to eat some fish sometimes.
Disclaimer: I am no health expert. I try to be aware of what feels good to me. If one has this health related serious issue then one should consult a specialist doctor about it.
Health Awareness
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