Prevent Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) / Take a timed break with standard gnome software

If you work a lot on a PC you should also take many breaks. If you are like me and forget about this very often you could use this trick to force yourself to take the break.

Go to System -> Preferences -> Keyboard. In this Keyboard Preferences dialog switch to the Typing Break tab and select the following:

• [x] Lock screen to enforce typing break
• Work interval lasts eg. 45 minutes
• Break interval last e.g 3 minutes
• [ ] Allow postponing of breaks. (disabled for me because otherwise I would postpone it everytime 😉 )

Now you have to take a break every 45 minutes for at least 3 minutes. You should stay up go to the toilet or simply move and stretch your body.

Another possibility is to archive this is to use the external tool workrave.