Self Care for Writers
If you don’t read another article on my website, I hope you will take the time to read this one.
As writers, we must take care of ourselves. Physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Let’s look at these areas. First, taking care of yourself physically. If you feel crappy, your writing is going to show it. No ifs, ands or buts. It’s the sad truth. And who wants to feel bad. If you can prevent it, or optimize how you feel, do it.
Let's start with proper rest. The human body needs sleep. I’m as guilty as the next person of trying to squeeze 30 hours into a day of 24. I burn the candle at both ends and in the middle – and I can get away with it for a while. But just for a while and then I pay the price. The amount of downtime I go through for the precious hours I stretch out of a day in the long run are not worth it. And I’m guessing they won’t be worth it for you either. Get those eight hours of sleep a night. Your body will reward you with clarity of thought the next day.
The other important thing about sleep is to have a regular bedtime and a regular time to get up each morning – at least on those days you’re writing. The body is like a machine. It needs certain things to function properly and with sleep also comes the need for regularity of hours.
So after you have your proper rest what else does your body require of you physically? Proper nutrition. Again, like cheating on hours, you can get by with junk food and poor eating habits for a period of time, sometimes many years, but at some point you’re going to pay with illness, sluggishness, aches and pains. A lot of this can be avoided by fueling your body with proper nutrients and eating on a set schedule. Find out what works for you.
Maybe you’re happy eating six small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. Experiment. It doesn’t hurt to try.
If you’re overweight, look into a good plan to lose those extra pounds (something I struggle with). If what you’re trying doesn’t work for you, find another plan. The important thing is to not give up.
Next on the list of proper physical care is to get regular exercise. Walking is probably the easiest and least expensive form of exercise you can do. It doesn’t require special equipment although a good set of walking shoes is important (as is loose clothing). If you have access to a treadmill, all the better. But whatever you do, make sure you’re walking or exercising regularly. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week is great. More if your schedule permits.
But remember, before you start any exercise program, including walking, check with your doctor or health professional.
Along with physical health, make sure your writing area is set up for optimum self-care. By this I mean, make sure you have a good chair, with excellent lumbar support (add a lumbar pillow or roll if you need more support) and adjustable side arms (a must to reduce stress on your neck and shoulders).
The chair should raise and lower and articulate forward and back so that you can get the proper alignment for your body. Your elbows and knees should rest at a 90-degree angle. Feet should be flat on the floor and not twisted or turned as this could pull muscles in your knees, hips and back. Hands should come off of the chair arms out in front of you with your wrists flat and not contorted or bent to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome or other nasty wrist pains.
A good ergonomic keyboard is essential. Go to the office supply store and try out several until you get one you feel comfortable with. Also try to have your mouse close to you and at the same level as the arm of your chair. Use a wrist rest if necessary to achieve the same level of wrist posture and minimize injury.
Position your screen so that it is directly in front of you so that you are neither raising nor lowering your head to see. You’ll be amazed at what this simple adjustment can do for neck and shoulder pain.
If you’re of a certain age where your eyes don’t adjust to distances as well as they used to consider asking your eye specialist about progressive lenses or have one of the distances on your glasses set for the distance from where you sit to your screen. This will keep you from moving your head around trying to find that spot where you can see the screen. I actually measured from the bridge of my nose to my computer screen to determine the distance and took the measurement to my ophthalmologist. It was worth it.
The other important thing is to not sit too long. I know, I know. I get into my story and I don’t want to stop. But your muscles need for you to get up and move around. There’s such a thing as muscle memory. Too long in one position and your body remembers that position. To try to get it into another position will be more difficult the longer you sit or stay in that position. Optimally, you should get up every twenty minutes and walk around and stretch for about five minutes. If this isn’t practical, then try for every hour. If you happen to have a treadmill nearby or are close to the door, get some walking in, too. You may think you can’t get much done in five minutes but you’d be surprised at how your body will reward you. You’ll come back to your desk and your story revitalized and you’ll be upping your chances of preventing repetitive injury.
Another important thing I’ve found for people who do a lot of sitting is to have tummy time. Yes, I found those words funny the first time I heard them, too. But 30 minutes a day in the bed or floor resting on your stomach will stretch out those leg muscles. People who spend time in wheelchairs are encouraged by their physical therapist to get in tummy time. I highly recommend it.
Now that we’ve got you feeling better about sleeping, eating and sitting, let’s look at mental and emotional self-care.
A big part of this is keeping a positive attitude. It’s easy to get down or depressed for some people, and I think most writers are more prone to this than the average population. Face it, we tend to feel things more intensely than the average person. It’s part of what makes us good at what we do.
Read books for relaxation, go to the movies, have a meal out with friends. Whatever makes you happy (within reason), then find time to do it on a regular basis.
Laugh. I truly believe there is restorative power in laughter. It loosens up the body and nurtures the soul. Your mood is lighter. Your body less tense. Your outlook more positive.
Avoid or limit toxins – foods, drinks, smoking and people. We all have our weaknesses. Know what yours are and keep them in check.
The quickest way to sabotage a good mood is to surround yourself with a toxic person. They will suck the life and spirit out of you. They will leave you empty and depressed. You will not affect them in any way – positive or negative. This is how they live, how they are. You cannot change them. Don’t even try. Protect yourself. Instead surround yourself with people like you, positive, supportive people who look for the good in people and in life. People with goals, with interests and people who are going places in their chosen professions. Remember, nothing succeeds like success.
Sure, we all have bad days. Very few people can be cheerful all of the time, but if you practice a positive attitude, you will be able to ride out adversity much better than the negative person who only wants to complain and wallow in their own misery.
Have a few people you trust to share your thoughts and problems with and be willing to do the same for them. Build your support system carefully.
Don’t take on other people’s problems. You can listen, you can offer advice, but remember the only person you can actually change is yourself. Work on being the best you that you can be.
I also believe it is important to your mental and emotional health to have a strong belief system. Whether that encompasses a structured religion is up to you.
Like our books, we are each a work in progress. Fine tuning the things we do each day or even making one or two simple changes can do a world of good.
I wish each of you your best life. And time to enjoy the life you are building.
Kathy
© Kathleen R. Jorgensen, 2006