For millions of us, our working week now includes time working from home and for many this can be full time. No commute, your own kitchen and the freedom to wear whatever you like from the waist down – there’s a lot to love. But it’s not without its downsides – there’s the toll that long hours in a poorly set-up home office can take on your eyes and ears.
More screen time, more video calls, more headphone use and often without the proper workplace setup we might have in an office. Over time, this can lead to eye strain, headaches, disrupted hearing and a general sense of sensory fatigue that’s hard to shake.
The good news is that a few simple adjustments can make a real difference. At Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care, we have over 85 years of experience taking care of people’s eye and hearing care and are here to help you protect your senses while you work. Here’s what we recommend.
Give your eyes a break
The 20-20-20 rule is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce eye strain during a long working day, but what does it mean? Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
It sounds almost too simple, but it works. Staring at a screen for extended periods causes the muscles inside your eye to tighten as they hold a fixed focus. Brief, regular breaks allow those muscles to relax and reset, reducing fatigue and discomfort over the course of the day.
Set up your screen the right way
How and where your monitor is positioned has a surprisingly big impact on your eye health. Here are the key things to get right:
- Distance – your screen should sit around an arm’s length away from your face (roughly 50–70cm). Too close and your eyes are working overtime; too far and you’ll find yourself leaning in and straining.
- Height – the top of your screen should be roughly at eye level or just slightly below, so your gaze naturally falls downward at a gentle angle. Looking up at a screen for hours puts unnecessary strain on both your eyes and your neck.
- Brightness and contrast – your screen brightness should roughly match the ambient light in your room. A screen that’s much brighter or darker than its surroundings forces your eyes to constantly adjust.
- Blue light – consider enabling a blue light filter or night mode on your devices, particularly during evening work sessions. Many people find this reduces eye fatigue and helps with sleep quality too.
Smart headphone and volume habits
When you’re working from home your life is more virtual and you are probably exposed to wearing headphones more often. Consistently high volumes through headphones or earbuds can cause cumulative damage to your hearing.
A few simple habits can protect your ears without disrupting your workflow:
- Follow the 60/60 rule – keep your volume at no more than 60% of maximum, for no longer than 60 minutes at a time before giving your ears a rest.
- Take headphone breaks – even 10 minutes of quiet between calls allows your ears to recover from sustained sound exposure.
- Choose over-ear headphones where possible – they generally sit further from the eardrum than in-ear buds and can provide better passive noise isolation, meaning you don’t need to push the volume as high.
- Be careful with noise cancellation – while noise-cancelling headphones are brilliant for focus, they can encourage you to wear headphones for longer stretches. Factor in regular breaks regardless.
- Watch out for call fatigue – when working from home it’s too easy to have an over-congested diary with back-to-back video calls. This can be particularly draining on your auditory system. Where possible, build short gaps between calls to give your ears – and your brain – a breather.
Create an ergonomic workspace for eye and ear health
The environment you work in matters just as much as adopting good behaviours. A well-set-up workspace reduces the physical effort your eyes and ears have to put in throughout the day.
Lighting is one of the biggest factors for eye health. Natural light is ideal, but position your desk so that the light source is to the side of your screen rather than directly behind or in front of it. Light coming from behind your screen creates glare; light shining directly in your eyes causes squinting and strain. If natural light is limited, a good-quality desk lamp with warm rather than cool-toned light can make a significant difference.
Noise levels in your home environment can also affect your hearing health. If you regularly work with background noise – traffic, family members, household sounds – you may be unconsciously turning up your headphone volume to compensate. Try to work in the quietest space available, and if noise is unavoidable, consider noise-isolating headphones rather than simply increasing volume.
Chair height and posture are worth getting right too. Sitting too low, hunching forward, or craning your neck towards a screen all affect how your eyes track and focus. Sit with your back supported, feet flat on the floor and your screen at a comfortable distance and height as described above.
Simple exercises for eyes and ears
Building a few short exercises into your day can help reduce fatigue and keep your senses feeling fresh.
For your eyes:
- Blink consciously – we blink far less when staring at screens, which leads to dry, uncomfortable eyes. Every hour or so, take a moment to blink slowly and deliberately ten times to refresh the surface of your eye.
- Eye rolls – slowly roll your eyes in a full circle, clockwise then anticlockwise, to gently exercise the muscles around the eye.
- Focus shifting – hold your finger close to your face, focus on it, then shift your gaze to something far across the room. Repeat several times to exercise your focusing muscles.
- Palm your eyes – rub your palms together to generate warmth, then gently cup them over your closed eyes for 30 seconds. It’s a wonderfully simple way to relieve eye tension.
For your ears:
- Step away from the screen – a short walk, even just around the block, gives your auditory system a complete break and can reset your focus and energy levels. Being outside is good for your eyes too!
- Seek out silence – carve out moments of quiet during your day. No music, no calls, no background noise. Your ears will benefit and so will your concentration.
Daily habits that make the difference
Protecting your eyes and ears while working from home isn’t about one big change – it’s about small, consistent habits that add up over time.
- Start your day by checking your workspace setup – screen position, lighting, chair height
- Use the 20-20-20 rule throughout the day without exception
- Keep your headphone volume in check and take regular audio breaks
- Stay hydrated – dehydration contributes to dry eyes and can affect concentration
- Get outside at least once during the working day, even briefly
- Wind down screens at least an hour before bed to support both eye health and sleep quality
- Book regular eye tests and hearing checks – at least every two years, or sooner if you notice any changes
Look after your senses – they work hard every day
Your eyes and ears are working constantly throughout the working day. A few thoughtful adjustments to your setup and routine can protect them for the long term and make your working day feel noticeably more comfortable.
If you’ve noticed any changes to your vision or hearing recently, or it’s simply been a while since your last check-up, you can book an appointment on our website or alternatively visit your local Scrivens branch.
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