Lesson 3: Stay healthy while using Computers
AIM
In this lesson you will learn:
About some general practices that will help you to stay healthy while using a computer.
LESSON OUTCOME
After you have studied this lesson, you will be able to:
Understand how some simple practices that helps you to stay healthy while using a computer
A healthy lifestyle can help you perform and enjoy your everyday activities, including the time spent at your computer.
Eat a balanced diet and get adequate rest.
Exercise for overall fitness and to improve the strength and flexibility of your body.
While working on the computer relax your hands and shoulders.
Take regular breaks every 5-10 minutes. Do some stretching exercises regularly, preferably every hour.
Hang up a poster in the computer-area to remind everyone to do stretches.
If you are not typing or using the mouse, relax your hands in your lap.
The best way to remind you of the breaks, install a software that will remind you to the breaks.
If you are working with papers or a textbook, consider using a document holder. These allow you to support books and papers closer to the monitor. Positioning documents close to the screen will minimize the amount one has to turn or twist one's head while working.
To minimize eye strain.
Position your monitor about an arm's length away from you when seated comfortably in front of it.
Avoid glare by placing your monitor away from light sources that produce glare, or use window blinds to control light levels.
Remember to clean your screen. If you wear glasses, clean them also.
Adjust the light in the room where you are using the computer. You can check this by turning off the screen and looking at the reflection in your screen.
Take eye-breaks every 10 minutes by looking away from the screen into the distance.
If you have problems reading the text, increase the size of your text instead of leaning over to read what is written.
Mouse
Move your mouse with your whole arm, don't just wiggle with your wrist.
Don't squeeze the mouse but hold it lightly. Place the mouse close to the keyboard so that you don't have to reach to use it.
Keyboard
Hit the keys lightly while typing.
Learn to type with all the 10 fingers! This saves a lot of time and also reduces the strain on your fingers and wrists.
We will now try to get familiar with the computer keyboard. Before typing let us see what the different fingers of your hands are called? Figure a shows the picture of both the left and right hands with the names of different fingers.
Now once the posture is correct and through with the name of the fingers, concentrate on the keyboard keys. The home row of the keyboard is the most important to the typist. The row of keys A, S, D, F, J, K, L, ; on the keyboard is called the home row. The fingers are positioned, lightly, on the A, S,D,F keys for the left hand, and the J, K, L, ; keys for the right hand.
The left index finger will control the F keys, the right index finger will control the J keys.
The left middle finger will control the D key, the right middle finger will control the K key.
The left ring finger will control the,S key, the right ring finger will control the L key.
The left little finger will control the,A key, the right little finger will control the ; key.
The spacebar is controlled by the right or the left thumb.
The G and H keys which are also there in between the F and J keys, are controlled by the index fingers.
The left index finger will control both F and G keys.
The right index finger will control both J and H keys.
Figure d
Work Sheets
- In the Home row keys some letters are missing, fill them.
- In the following figure, write the letters of the home row in the boxes near its controlling finger.
- Make as many words as possible using the following alphabets
asdfghjkl
______
- The figures of some animals are given. Name them and figure out the which animal's name start with the letters on the home row.