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The activity monitor is the program component that continually monitors your keyboard and mouse usage. Its purpose is two fold:
- provide you with continuous feedback on your own usage pattern
- decide when you require a rest or micro-break
There are two on screen representations of the state of the activity monitor.
- the menu bar item (displayed on the top right hand side of the menu bar)

- the activity window (the transparent window on the bottom right hand side of your screen)

You can use either of these representations or both. By default both the activity window and the menu bar item are switched on.
No matter which representation you choose, they display the same basic data: your current activity level.
Research has shown that you are especially at risk from typing and mousing injuries when you continuously use the mouse or keyboard without any interruption. Even a few seconds pause substantially diminish this risk.
The activity level indicator consequently shows your continuous activity level: in the activity window presentation, you will see that the bar will become progressively longer as you are active, then will stop while you remain inactive and after a few seconds will start decreasing again.
The bar will change color to indicate how safe your current activity level is:
- green = safe level
- yellow/orange = warning level
- red = danger level
Ideally you would always remain "in the green". In practise you should try to avoid being "in the red" for too long.
One of the most effective ways of preventing repetitive strain injuries is to take "microbreaks". These are breaks of only a few seconds, but observing them can make a great deal of difference.
MacBreakZ optionally can be configured to present you with Microbreak reminders. These microbreaks can, however, become very distracting especially at the beginning when you may find it hard to get used to taking regular rest breaks. We thus recommend starting with rest breaks only and once you are comfortable with these you may want to give microbreaks a try.
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