Repetitive Strain Injury is no laughing matter. And Big Stretch Reminder, this little free application that reminds you about how important it is to know when to stop, it is also a tool that we should take very seriously. It will alert you as many times as you wish whenever it is time to take a break - the frequency and the length of these breaks are up to you.
Not many people performing repetitive tasks for countless hours pay much attention to RSI or to its symptoms, but it is a fact that this condition exists. Wrong postures, repetitive movements, too many hours in front of your computer without stretching yourself every now and then do affect tendons, muscles, and nerves. Big Stretch Reminder will not cure any of these symptoms, but will certainly let you know - at given intervals of time - that you should stop doing things wrong. The settings you need to customize are really simple, and it will take you just a few seconds. The time between breaks is probably the most sensitive one – here you have to decide how many breaks you think you need during your working day. The program can show you random tips or your preferred message, and it can do it in a discreet way (with a bubble that pops up from your system tray) or in a more straightforward and more intrusive way, with a larger window reminding you that it is time for a break.
All in all, a useful little tool worth having – it will do nothing but help you, as long as you want to be helped.
