Voice Recognition software can be an amazing tool, letting you dictate documents without touching the keyboard, or surfing the web by simply telling your computer where to go. But just as hands and wrists can become injured through overuse of the keyboard, so too can your vocal chords - also muscles - be injured through improper usage of VR software. Follow these tips to stay healthy and maximize the benefits of your software.

Healthy Usage Tips
Here are a few tips to help you use your speech recognition software ergonomically:

1. Use the software in addition to - not instead of - your keyboard. Using them together will improve both your efficiency and comfort. There are some tasks - such as editing a document - which are accomplished faster using a keyboard. Others - such as responding to emails - may be more comfortable to do using speech recognition.
2. Position the microphone properly and speak at a normal volume. You shouldn't need to shout for the software to understand you, and doing so will only wear out your voice faster and lead to strained vocal chords. Speak normally - that's how the software was designed to understand you.
3. Take breaks. Taking a rest allows your muscles to recuperate, helping them recover and prepare for your next round of work. Your vocal chords are muscles too, so they're susceptible to Repetitive Stress Injuries.
4. Sit upright and keep your chin level. Just like sitting in a chair or positioning your keyboard, the proper posture is essential. Tilting your chip up outstretches your vocal chords, making it harder to speak up, and putting strain on your muscles. Keep your chin level, and sit in a normal position.
5. Keep yourself warm. Just as you're more likely to insure a muscle in your legs while running on a cold day, you're more likely to stress your vocal chords talking in a cold room. This is because cold causes muscles to contract, which tightens them and puts them at greater risk for injury.

Warning Signs of Overuse
Watch carefully for any of the following signs and symptoms; they may indicate that you're overusing voice recognition software. While many common conditions share these symptoms (for instance, a cold or flu), if you're constantly experiencing these problems, you may need to take a break or stop using the software completely:

• Deepened Voice
• Chronic Cough or Hoarseness
• Sore Neck Muscles
• Vocal Fatigue
• Voice Loss