The first time I washed my hands for 20 seconds, it felt like an eternity. Eighteen months ago, the idea that I would spend more than a few seconds rinsing in the sink seemed excessive. Today, I scrub like a surgeon and think nothing of it.
Lately, I’ve been following a new 20-second rule. This one feels less like hard work because it mainly involves gazing out of the window. After more than a year spent mostly indoors staring at screens, I am trying to soothe my tired eyes with the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
This advice will not be news to those who have been paying attention to optometrists’ guidance for people who regularly work with screens. Alas, it was to me after my local optician found my peepers had taken a sudden turn for the worse.