Proper lighting is important. Ambient light in the room shouldn’t be too bright or too dark. Try to avoid strong point light sources, such as sun through a window. Also, changing lighting types can help. Sometimes fluorescent lighting can be a bit harder on the eye than an incandescent.

Another strategy is to limit the time spent staring at the screen. Take frequent breaks or periodically focus on something off in the distance.

A monitor can also be a source of trouble. Older ones and even some newer less-expensive models can have poor refresh rates and are harder on the eyes. Sometimes simple adjustments can help, such as changing the brightness/contrast settings, adding an anti-glare filter, or changing the viewing angle or distance.

Lastly, it is important to make sure your eyes and eyewear are in good shape. If eye strain is a problem it might be a good time to have an eye exam and mention to the optometrist that computer use is an issue.

It may be necessary to take a step back and examine your daily routine. This will help you determine when a good time to fit in exercise would be. This may be first thing in the morning, on your lunch hour, or after the kids are in bed. The time of day at which you exercise is not nearly as important as the fact that you do it.

Another good idea is to consider ways to exercise at home. This is a great substitute on those days when getting to the gym is simply not possible. Cardio is quite easy to do at home, and requires no equipment. Yoga can also be done quite easily in any room of the home.

It may take some time to develop a routine that works. Over time, this will become easier. The benefits of exercise are clear. By being physically active, you will find that your busy lifestyle is easier to maintain.

Make a commitment to only going to the store once per week. Additional trips to the store are notorious time and money wasters. Plan your menu for the entire week and grocery shop on the same day of the week. This may seem very structured at first, but you-ll quickly get into the habit. As you are on a break at work or commuting during the week, think of items to add to your menu for the next week. Start planning with main dishes, then the side dishes will naturally follow. Next, use your grocery store sale flyer for inspiration. Why choose salmon for dinner when it-s 8.97/pound, when you can wait until it-s 5.88/pound? If meat is on sale you can buy double what you need and freeze the additional portion. Then in subsequent weeks you can add your “freezer stash’ as an inspiration source.

Effective menu planning will reward you with healthier home cooked meals. You may even find your food bills and your waistline getting smaller, as you eat out less and are less likely to fall back on ordering pizza for dinner. A little planning goes a long way when organizing your family-s meals.