You Exercise Your Body, Watch Your Diet. When Was the Last Time You Took Care of Your Eyes?

Why Eyes Fall Off the List

We have a workout plan. We have a plan for what we eat. We know how much we want to sleep and how many steps to take.

Eyes just work until they start to bother us. They don’t send reminders, they don’t count reps, they don’t show up in an app with a weekly summary. That’s why no one includes them in their daily plan — until the end of the day when they start to make themselves known.

After all, they work the longest of anything we train. From waking up to falling asleep: screen, road, faces, letters, and back to the screen.

Four Habits That Are Enough to Start

The 20-20-20 Rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. You don’t have to stop working — just look away from the screen and gaze into the room or out the window.

Looking into the Distance. This isn’t an exercise to check off once a day, but a habit of looking away from close-up. A conversation by the window, a walk to the store, coffee enjoyed with a view beyond the laptop screen. None of this requires planning.

Lighting and Workspace Setup. The light shouldn’t glare or reflect off the screen. Position your monitor so that working is simply comfortable — without leaning forward or squinting. If the screen is the only bright spot in a dark room, turn on the light.

Blinking. At the screen, we blink less than usual. It’s worth consciously reminding yourself of this, especially during longer work sessions.

Repetition Matters

No one does one workout a year and expects it to be enough. No one eats one salad in January and considers the topic closed.

It’s similar with eyes. What matters is what we do every day, not one burst of effort on October 8th.

The good news is that none of these four habits require extra time. Three of them fit into the work you’re already doing. The fourth, looking into the distance, is more about where you look during breaks than how much time you have for them.

How to Remind Yourself

The simplest way is to keep it in front of your eyes. You can print the “Eye Break” card and place it by your desk — three steps, less than a minute, no preparation needed. You can find it among printable materials, along with other cards and activities.

No daily habit can replace an eye exam. If you haven’t checked your eyes in a while, it’s worth remembering to do so.

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