As technology continues to evolve, it
seems that physical books and even paper are being replaced by the
ability to read electronic documents on your computer, tablet or phone.
Books, magazines and all other types of reading materials are now
readily available in electronic formats. This is not only happening
because of the mobility and convenience that this adds, but it’s also
good as a way to converse and save paper and natural resources.
And there are not many things that you
can do with a physical book or magazine that you cannot do with an
electric one. You can make notes and annotations in electronic documents
like PDFs, take them with you, distribute them easily to others, and
electronic formats even give you a lot of advantages that physical
reading materials do not.
There is one great disadvantage that
does come with reading on the computer, however, and that is the strain
on your eyes that results from doing so. Sure, there are many E-book
readers that have specially designed screens that are easier on the
eyes, but that’s not the case with computers and laptops – especially
when reading for extended periods of time.
It has been proven through studies that
reading words on paper is much more enjoyable and easy on the eyes than
reading on the screen of an electronic device, but the convenience of
using electronic formats will demand more and more that we get used to
reading from a computer screen.
Here are some tips for reading on a
computer that can help you to put less strain on your eyes and become
able to read more comfortably for longer periods of time.
Adjust your screen’s light options
Getting your lighting options just the
way you need them can really be a life-saver when it comes to reading on
a computer or tablet. A quick rule of thumb is to adjust the lighting
according to the light that is in the room at the moment. At lot of
people believe that the screen needs to be at its brightest when it’s
dark, but that’s not true at all. It will be much easier on your eyes if
you are turning down the light as it gets darker in your room.
There is a program called Flux,
which can automatically adjust the lighting of your screen according to
the amount of light that is in your room where you are reading. It’s a
great tool that makes the process of adjusting light automatic and helps
you to rest your eyes when reading on your computer.
Adjust your font sizes
One advantage that reading electronic
formats has over paper is that you can change the size of the fonts on
the PDF or other type of electronic document that you are reading. All
E-books and of course, computers, have these options for tailoring the
fonts to your liking in terms of size and design. Even web browsers
feature options for changing your font sizes. If you are straining to
read small fonts, make the changes and help rest your eyes. You
shouldn’t be putting any more effort into reading than you really need
to, and that is why you should take the time to make the fonts the
perfect size for you.
Minimize your distractions
When you are reading a book, there is
nothing within the book that can take your attention away from what you
are reading. But if you are reading on a computer or E-book – the
Internet can be your concentration’s worst nightmare. It’s incredibly
hard to focus on what you are reading when you have browsers, email
clients and chat services open at all times. If you really want to read
effectively on a computer or tablet, remove all of these distractions.
If you are on a mobile device like a tablet or laptop, turn off the
Internet so that you do not even have the chance to be distracted by it.
Read with more focus
One of the biggest problems with reading
PDFs and other electronic formats is the fact that you can’t really
flip back through the documents as quickly as you can when reading a
book. Also, trying to remember where you left off when reading is not as
easy as when reading a physical book. However, there is an excellent way to get Adobe Reader to remember where you have left off in your reading
and allow you to pick up at your last read page immediately. Most
E-book readers also offer you the option of “bookmarking” where you have
left off. If you are reading a website or a Word document that doesn’t
give you these types of options, be sure to make a note of where you
left off so you don’t have to spend unnecessary effort on trying to find
your place.
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