Writing is one of those professions/pastimes which can easily catch you sitting for long periods of time, staring at a computer screen, chugging coffee or losing sleep. Generally speaking, doing things that are not all that good for you.
That’s not to say it has to be that way. There are lots of small, easy things we can do to make sure we are taking care of ourselves while we crank out those words. Here are a few things I have found to be helpful.
—Drink lots of water: Try it with some lemon squeezed in for extra health benefits.
—Stretch: As little as five minutes makes all the difference in the world.
—Proper posture: Wrong posture does terrible things to your body. ‘Nough said.
—Take breaks: Try for at least once an hour.
—Unnplug: Take time to do something entirely different, don’t even think about your writing.
—Know your limits: Learn to stop when your body says stop. It is better to stop a little earlier and do something else than to beat a dead horse and accomplish nothing but frustrating yourself.
—Take an internet/electronics break: Get away from the screens, the social media, and do something real.
—Get lots of sleep: Everything works better and faster when you are well rested.
—Find an active pastime: Running, biking, skiing, dancing—it could be anything.
—Change up where you write: Buy a standing desk. Write in a notebook. I know someone writing on a typewriter right now. Find ways to keep writing without staying in front of a screen or sitting down the whole time.
What do you do to stay healthy? Are there any important tips I didn’t mention?
Emily Hayse 
Love these tips! Another one I would add is rest your eyes. Don’t destroy your vision. My mom tells me to take 20-minutes eye-resting breaks, and while I’m honestly not good at doing it, I try to. Also eat. I don’t know if it’s scientifically proven, but I’m sure that food helps you power your brain. Also after I’ve sat at the computer for a while I like to do a workout for stretching my back and neck to get me back in a good posture — stretching and physical exercise is definitely a good thing.
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That’s a great one! I don’t ever think to stop and rest my eyes, but I know I can’t work on my computer too long or my eyes (and head) will start to hurt.
Yes! I find that if I have a good stretch it is so much easier to have good posture. Funny how that is….
Thanks for chiming in! I’m going to be mindful about the eye-resting breaks from now on! 😉
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These are such simple but great tips. I need to implement like all of them, because I’ve been running myself ragged lately and it’s starting to catch up with me. -_-
A glass of lemon water, a walk, and a break from social media would do me a lot of good.
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I had to learn most of these hard way. It took me a while to realize why I kept getting really sick after I would finish a writing project. 😦
I find that a little bit of prevention goes a long way. Let me know if you do any of these and how they worked for you! 🙂
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Great post! I agree that sleep is a beautiful thing. I don’t sleep too, too long (I’m fine on 7 hours), but not getting enough can really throw off your ability to think (or function in general).
And I also agree with taking breaks from electronics and social media. I do it once a week for whatever reasons – going out with friends, yoga class, or a “me” night at home where I read or work on my mandala coloring book.
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I totally agree. The right amount of sleep makes all the difference in the world (8 hours is my sweet spot), and sometimes if I get too much it has almost the same effect as not enough.
That’s a really good idea, having built-in break time. And things like coloring and yoga are nice relaxing hobbies to get your mind off writing. 🙂
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