excel sprdsheets- my eyes are falling out (employed, unemployed, temporary)

[terrasurf]

Alot of my day is spent analyzing statistics in excel, cutting pasting, aggregating data, creating formulas, using pivot charts, etc, etc, etc.

My eyes, fingers, and back are getting burnout. I take breaks, stretch, etc- but it is getting progressively worse. Has anyone else experienced the same issues? I pretty much can't take it anymore; I know part of it is psycological as obviously this is not what I love to do, but its beyond that. Thanks.

[eggalegga]

Can you create macros to do some of the tedious, repettitive stuff or is that not an option for your type of work?

I don't use pivot tables but at any time during a typical business day, I have at least 4 spreadsheets open and each one of those can have several tabs.

If this is your daily routine, I'd suggest talking with your boss to mix-up your job duties--perhaps share someone else's workload and they take some of yours.

Have you had your eyes (prescription) checked recently? Do you have an adequate lighting, a good sized monitor(s), is your chair height correct for your desk height?

Get some good eye drops and put them in often. Drink lots of water. I'd talk to your boss about getting a masseuse to come in and do a chair massage (Neck, arms, hands) for you.

Perhaps a vacation is a temporary fix. Good luck to you.

[myrc60]

Thermacare is my best advice. Yours is the type of work I do too but I am unemployed right now. Watch your posture when you are working; it has a lot to do with your aches. Thermacare and accept no substitutes.

[GypsySoul22]

That sounds like my idea of a nightmare job I'd hate. I'm sorry about you having so much trouble at this job.

[BagongBuhay]

if you work for a large company, contact someone who takes care of ergonomic issues. They may be able to provide you with a better chair, keyboard, keyboard keeper, etc. My company did that for me, including addressing glare issues hitting my screen.

[mcb1025]

Originally Posted by terrasurf

Alot of my day is spent analyzing statistics in excel, cutting pasting, aggregating data, creating formulas, using pivot charts, etc, etc, etc.

My eyes, fingers, and back are getting burnout. I take breaks, stretch, etc- but it is getting progressively worse. Has anyone else experienced the same issues? I pretty much can't take it anymore; I know part of it is psycological as obviously this is not what I love to do, but its beyond that. Thanks.

I feel ya, friend. Though you might not expect it, computer work is quite fatiguing. You seem to be doing all the right things. I'd suggest taking a 10 minute break every hour. Just try to get yourself away from that monitor.

[Pilgrim21784]

I spent a large portion of my 35 year career (obviously some pre-computer) working with spreadsheets and graphic presentations. I worked with Excel since its creation. Previous posters have made sound suggestions, I'll add mine. My comments are based on my personal experience employed in a very large federal agency and some may not be applicable in smaller operations.

1) Eyeglasses (if you wear them) - I purchased "computer" glasses for work. These are single vision lenses specifically prescribed for the distance to your monitor, much better than regular glasses.

2) Increase font size to the largest practical image for your sheets.

3) You absolutely have to establish and maintain an exercise routine focused on your back, hands, neck and legs. Your work in effect requires a physical training program or you will suffer. I routinely did exercises at my desk, especially since I suffered serious back problems from my Viet Nam service. You really have to work on keeping your body capable of doing your work.

4) Definitely get management agreement/approval for maximizing your non-screen time work duties and implement more efficient data collection/aggregation processes within your company. I talked my bosses into letting me add some duties that required me to attend meetings with information input co-workers, (e.g., co-workers in other components who were providing the data I worked with) to design the optimum information flow processes to minimize data manipulation requirements (and make the entire operation more efficient). Many operations have less than optimum data flow processes in place because individual work units only focus on their own turf and don't consider how a broader picture would benefit the entire operation. Data flow diagramming and process flow optimization became one of my career mini-specializations which took me away from the keyboard for significant portions of my workday. It also earned me some management kudos and promotions. I called it my "Do it once, dummy" strategy targeted to not have different components rehashing data manipulation of the same information. It can dramatically cut down the screen time needed to provide management the necessary information output. You basically want to go "up stream" of your component's information flow and see how you can design the information flowing to your shop's operation to minimize data management activity.

5) As previously noted, experiment with different chairs and chair heights, desk keyboard pads, monitor placement, etc. I usually altered my computer station's equipment position several times per day to avoid my body being in the same position all day.

[terrasurf]

Thank you, I appreciate it. I do all these things and more. Currently I work for a housing finance agency- brutal; the things you have to do to survive.

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Originally Posted by terrasurf

Thank you, I appreciate it. I do all these things and more. Currently I work for a housing finance agency- brutal; the things you have to do to survive.

Sorry I was gonna suggest macros but someone already has said that.

Is there any way you can change your line of job?

[Miss Crabcakes]

I totally feel you. 80% of my current job involves cutting and pasting things from one spreadsheet to another. And that's what I do all.day.long.

It really is mind numbing.