Computer time

[geogphotos]

I've been spending too many hours sitting at the computer and am thinking that I need some rules or strategies to limit time and work to maximise efficiency and maintain health.

 

Maybe limit to two hours first thing and an hour in the evening?

 

What do others do to control time sitting still at the computer which we all know has health negatives?

 

How much time do you spend on the machine?

Edited May 27, 2023 by geogphotos

[gvallee]

If I have a backlog to edit, I spend all day in front of the computer, several days running. Being aware of needing exercise, I tried to limit myself buf I couldn't do it. When I'm in the swing of things, I can't stop. 

 

Having said that, I do have a backlog right now but am not in the mood. I need a few more sales than 5 this month to be motivated. That's when I get my exercise, shoot more, and add to the backlog. Crazy.

 

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by gvallee

[geogphotos]

12 minutes ago, gvallee said:

If I have a backlog to edit, I spend all day in front of the computer, several days running. Being aware of needing exercise, I tried to limit myself buf I couldn't do it. When I'm in the swing of things, I can't stop. 

 

Having said that, I do have a backlog right now but am not in the mood. I need a few more sales than 5 this month to be motivated. That's when I get my exercise, shoot more, and add to the backlog. Crazy.

 

 

 

 

My motivation is more on the lines of clearing the backlog so that I free myself for the next trip! But really I don't have to rush. The world won't stop turning if the backlog is cleared gradually ...or even waits until winter. It just plays on one's mind I suppose.

 

I have a strong work ethic and enjoy it all, but even so it is just too easy to spend far too long in a sitting position with the body stagnating🫠

Edited May 27, 2023 by geogphotos

[gvallee]

6 minutes ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

My motivation is more on the lines of clearing the backlog so that I free myself for the next trip! But really I don't have to Ruch. The world won't stop turning if the backlog is cleared gradually ...or even over next winter. It just plays on one's mind I suppose.

 

I have a strong work ethic and enjoy it all, but even so it is just too easy to spend far too long in a sitting position with the body stagnating🫠

 

My circumstances are different as I'm on a never ending trip, so photos pile up quickly with a constant change of locations. The additional challenge for me as regard to lack of exercise is the time spent behind the wheel. Not good.

 

 

 

[Betty LaRue]

Ian, I don’t take & process as many images as I did 10 years ago. I used to be able to spend more time at the computer.

 

What you said, yes, it’s not healthy. But then many people have jobs that require 8 hours a day sitting at a computer. A nightmare.

For me, to download images through card reader, review & delete, then process, tag & upload to Alamy it takes me over 2 hours to get 10-12 images done. I recently was reminded that product shooting on white background actually takes more time than other photos.

2 hours of working has my neck/shoulder muscles screaming so I have to quit. No choice.

Getting up every 30 minutes helps. Go to the kitchen for a drink, trip to bathroom, a stretch, let the dog out if you have one, whatever. I just pick up my parrot & give her a cuddle. I find once my muscles start cramping/burning, I still pay for it with soreness & stiffness the next day. I’m going to see if I can figure out how to raise the height of my chair. I have an inkling that the larger size of my screen compared to when I started out is causing my head to tilt up more than before.

[Mr Standfast]

I have iTunes on the PC. After an album it's time for a break. 👍

[Mr Standfast]

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Edited May 27, 2023 by Mr Standfast

[Allan Bell]

A typical day.

 

After rising from bed and ablutions and dressing. Loo. I prepare breakfast eat it then tidy up after. Make my bed. Loo. Get ready to go out for a walk. Spend 30-40 minutes walking briskly round village and back home. Loo. Settle to the computer for various essentials and upload images taken on walk. Then look at forums and add comments. Loo. Do some processing and get filing sorted. Loo. Bit more on computer. Loo. Get dinner ready. Eat dinner. Wash and dry pots after dinner. Loo. A bit of housework, run vacuum round. Loo. Back on computer and finish keywording images passed QC. Loo. Upload more images to A. Process more images. Loo. Prepare tea and enjoy a bit of TV while consuming tea. Wash dishes, dry, put away. Loo. Back to computer to finish more images ready for uploading. Shut computer down.  Loo. Brew up hot chocolate. Drink HC while watching something on TV. Loo. Switch TV off and wash HC mug. Prepare for bed. Loo. Get into bed and read till I start to nod off. Loo. Back to bed annnddd sleep. One hour later LOO.

 

I have not included washing cloths bedding and hanging out to dry or work keeping outside of property tidy nor shopping.

 

Allan

 

Of course you may have help with meals and housework etc so do not get that type of exercise. 

 

ITMA

 

[geogphotos]

2 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

I have iTunes on the PC. After an album it's time for a break. 👍

 

 

Have you tried the Portsmouth Sinfonia?

 

You might want to put your cats in another room

 

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by geogphotos

[Michael Ventura]

50 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

A typical day.

 

After rising from bed and ablutions and dressing. Loo. I prepare breakfast eat it then tidy up after. Make my bed. Loo. Get ready to go out for a walk. Spend 30-40 minutes walking briskly round village and back home. Loo. Settle to the computer for various essentials and upload images taken on walk. Then look at forums and add comments. Loo. Do some processing and get filing sorted. Loo. Bit more on computer. Loo. Get dinner ready. Eat dinner. Wash and dry pots after dinner. Loo. A bit of housework, run vacuum round. Loo. Back on computer and finish keywording images passed QC. Loo. Upload more images to A. Process more images. Loo. Prepare tea and enjoy a bit of TV while consuming tea. Wash dishes, dry, put away. Loo. Back to computer to finish more images ready for uploading. Shut computer down.  Loo. Brew up hot chocolate. Drink HC while watching something on TV. Loo. Switch TV off and wash HC mug. Prepare for bed. Loo. Get into bed and read till I start to nod off. Loo. Back to bed annnddd sleep. One hour later LOO.

 

I have not included washing cloths bedding and hanging out to dry or work keeping outside of property tidy nor shopping.

 

Allan

 

Of course you may have help with meals and housework etc so do not get that type of exercise. 

 

ITMA

 

 

The Loo breaks sound about right for me too.  The older I get, well you just don't pass up an opportunity.

 

[wilkopix]

6 hours ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

My motivation is more on the lines of clearing the backlog so that I free myself for the next trip! But really I don't have to rush. The world won't stop turning if the backlog is cleared gradually ...or even waits until winter. It just plays on one's mind I suppose.

 

I have a strong work ethic and enjoy it all, but even so it is just too easy to spend far too long in a sitting position with the body stagnating🫠

Totally agree with you on this .. I hate having a backlog of images and I spend way too much time on the computer with editing, post production and keywording.

[John Mitchell]

At 74, I don't feel the sense of urgency that I used to. Motivation comes and goes. These days, I'm spending more time sitting on my laurels than sitting in front of the infernal machine processing images that might license tomorrow, in a decade, or never. 😄

 

P.S. The Loo is now my second office. 🙃

 

 

[John Mitchell]

6 hours ago, gvallee said:

If I have a backlog to edit, I spend all day in front of the computer, several days running. Being aware of needing exercise, I tried to limit myself buf I couldn't do it. When I'm in the swing of things, I can't stop. 

 

Having said that, I do have a backlog right now but am not in the mood. I need a few more sales than 5 this month to be motivated. That's when I get my exercise, shoot more, and add to the backlog. Crazy.

 

 

 

I've always enjoyed the process of taking photographs more than the actual product. During analog days, I probably could have walked around with no film in my camera and still had a good time.

[geogphotos]

18 minutes ago, John Mitchell said:

 

I've always enjoyed the process of taking photographs more than the actual product. During analog days, I probably could have walked around with no film in my camera and still had a good time.

 

Unintentionally I have done this. I spent a month in the Philippines with a newly bought camera ( long story) and not one image came out.

 

I had film which I kept replacing but the camera was a dud. 

 

The pics are still in my head but also the memory of long uphill slogs to viewpoints, getting up early for the golden hour etc etc..

 

All part of life's rich pattern. 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by geogphotos

[Colin C]

1 hour ago, John Mitchell said:

At 74, I don't feel the sense of urgency that I used to. Motivation comes and goes. These days, I'm spending more time sitting on my laurels than sitting in front of the infernal machine processing images that might license tomorrow, in a decade, or never. 😄

 

P.S. The Loo is now my second office. 🙃

 

 

hahaha at 73.5 I'm a smidge behind you - race you to the loo 🙂

[John Mitchell]

1 hour ago, Colin C said:

hahaha at 73.5 I'm a smidge behind you - race you to the loo 🙂

 

OK, you win. 🏃‍♂️

[Mr Standfast]

4 hours ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

Have you tried the Portsmouth Sinfonia?

 

You might want to put your cats in another room

 

 

 

Noooooo!!!!

 

 

But I admit to this...

 

 

[Mr Standfast]

6 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

A typical day.

 

After rising from bed and ablutions and dressing. Loo. I prepare breakfast eat it then tidy up after. Make my bed. Loo. Get ready to go out for a walk. Spend 30-40 minutes walking briskly round village and back home. Loo. Settle to the computer for various essentials and upload images taken on walk. Then look at forums and add comments. Loo. Do some processing and get filing sorted. Loo. Bit more on computer. Loo. Get dinner ready. Eat dinner. Wash and dry pots after dinner. Loo. A bit of housework, run vacuum round. Loo. Back on computer and finish keywording images passed QC. Loo. Upload more images to A. Process more images. Loo. Prepare tea and enjoy a bit of TV while consuming tea. Wash dishes, dry, put away. Loo. Back to computer to finish more images ready for uploading. Shut computer down.  Loo. Brew up hot chocolate. Drink HC while watching something on TV. Loo. Switch TV off and wash HC mug. Prepare for bed. Loo. Get into bed and read till I start to nod off. Loo. Back to bed annnddd sleep. One hour later LOO.

 

I have not included washing cloths bedding and hanging out to dry or work keeping outside of property tidy nor shopping.

 

Allan

 

Of course you may have help with meals and housework etc so do not get that type of exercise. 

 

ITMA

 

 

You may have won the internet with this! 🥂🚽🙂

[IKuzmin]

Get comfortable screen. Get comfortable desk. Get comfortable chair. Get comfortable ambient light.

I spend 2-8 hours a day depending on many variables (not only for photo editing; I do not have that many images to edit). Unfortunately, I spend the same every day at work, w/o comfortable screen, desk, chair, and light.

[Inchiquin]

15 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

P.S. The Loo is now my second office. 🙃

 

 

I think of my toilet visits as exercise breaks from the computer.

 

Alan

[Michael Ventura]

Back to the OP, I spend relatively little time on my computer working on stock.  Most of my computer time is spent post processing assignment shoots, some days are a lot more than others.  If I spend more than a couple of hours, at a time, I get achy and need to get up and move around. 

[Jansos]

On 27/05/2023 at 11:22, geogphotos said:

What do others do to control time sitting still at the computer which we all know has health negatives?

Would recommend a kneeling stool of some sort - https://www.posturite.co.uk/blog/kneeling-chairs-actually-good

 

[David eastley]

An interesting topic. I tend to do an hour first thing then use several 30 minute sessions with a strong coffee to do computer things ( not just photography) as a break from everything else I have going on. I look after some of my grandchildren 2 or 3 days a week, I have a large allotment that I go to 2 or 3 times a week, I tend to do our shopping most days and I need to spend at least some time with my wife or she complains. So probably on average a couple of hours a day on photography stuff and an hour on other things 

[MB Photography]

I do my initial image selection, basic edits / cropping, Profile, Filters etc using my iPad sitting in a comfortable chair.

 

I subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud and sync my Lightroom Classic Smart Previews (after importing the raw images to the computer) so that they are available in Lightroom for iPad. Any changes I make update the original Lightroom Classic images where I do the final processing on the computer, with calibrated monitors, and FTP upload to Alamy.

 

This process is all non-destructive.

[Jill Morgan]

I practically live in PS or some of the other programs from Adobe.  I subscribe to the whole lot.

 

I work in 2 hour stages as sitting that long isn't really good for you not to mention the blue light from the monitors.  So computer work, then shop work, more computer work.  I may fit in housework if I want to and of course always have outdoor work.  Now that the nice weather has been around for a bit, going outside and working on lawn, garden etc take a bit. Probably 6 hours a day, varying.

 

JIll