Do you currently have a less-than-comfortable computer setup, back or hand pain, poor habits, or a stressful work environment? If so, unless you make some changes to your habits or work environment, you are destined for repetitive stress injuries.

Unfortunately, most people are either not aware of, or simply take no steps to avoid, the painful problems that await them. It is akin to a man who jumps off a 40-story building and, as he passes the 10^th floor, says, “I’m doing fine. I haven’t hit the ground yet!”

The good news is that this book can help you remove the pain from your computer usage by showing you how to take on the techniques and perspective of what I call a “computer athlete.” In this book, you will find cost-effective ways to gradually improve your computing habits and environment, eventually  achieving a pain-free computing experience.

The computer athlete’s perspective can guide your everyday decisions. For example, when deciding whether to eat a donut for breakfast, you can ask yourself, “Would a computer athlete eat this for breakfast?” Your answer will be clear: “I don’t think so.” As a computer athlete, you can become a happy, healthy computer user who focuses on and accomplishes goals in a manner that is sustainable throughout your life.

If by reading this book you can avoid even a single pointless doctor’s visit, the investment of time and money will have more than paid for itself. The cost of this book will pay for itself many times over by enabling you to work longer hours without pain and become more productive, helping you purchase the right equipment for your needs, and in many cases providing you with the incalculable benefit of saving you from a debilitating injury that could force you to change careers.

The computer athlete model has enabled me to work 12 to 15 hours a day, six to seven days a week, for several years, in such settings as my computer-intensive undergraduate career at Harvey Mudd College, internships at Microsoft, side jobs and side projects, and most recently  working at a software startup company as the Lead Software Developer/Manager of Product Development/Software Architect/Technical Specialist. The techniques that I have developed have served me well even under incredibly intense, sink-or-swim work conditions.

The way the tips and techniques described in this book will apply to you will vary with your situation: usage patterns, work obligations, work environment, aspirations, needs, work schedules, and so on. For example, many junior analyst investment bankers use Microsoft Excel heavily. They work long hours and need to press the Control, Shift, and Function keys frequently. These repetitive keystrokes and the awkward hand positions they require cause repetitive stress injuries. On the other hand, many of the principles and techniques that a junior analyst would use will also be relevant to other types of computer users.

I have helped people in many different lines of work with their computer pain through the computer athlete model.

I chose to share my idea of the computer athlete after reading Jim and Michele McCarthy’s slogan, “All live in greatness,” and doing some reflection. I very much believe in promoting that idea. I believe that in order to live in greatness, I need to help others live in greatness. For example, if a large number of people are unable to work due to computer-related injuries, fewer problems will be solved, and we will all be worse off. I have been able to accomplish a considerable amount in a short period of time through hard work and motivation, as well as by developing the idea of and striving to become a computer athlete. I believe that there are many other individuals who will be able to do likewise. Even if you only want to use the computer without pain for a few hours a day, this book can help you get there.

I have boiled the model for becoming a computer athlete down to the mastering of five key disciplinary areas: Equipment and Usage, Nutrition, Self-Awareness and Self-Care, Strength and Conditioning, and Stress Management. This book discusses each of these areas in depth and explains why mastering each one is critical for reaching a state of pain-free computing.