20 Self-Care Tips For Writers to Maximize Productivity and Earnings
How often do you pause to consider physical and psychological prep to maximize your effort?
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How many writers here see themselves in Pasternak’s image, above.
I for one am raising my hand.
Whether his face expresses passion in a singular form, or a typical writer’s frustration in search of the proper word or phraseology is immaterial.
I’d venture to say we’ve all been there.
If writing is both a physical (keyboard pounding) and psychological exercise, why then do many of us ignore the physical and psychological benefits of pre-writing? As in, taking care of oneself prior to, during, and after setting down for work?
You wouldn’t run a marathon without proper training, would you? You wouldn’t train to be an elite athlete without strict discipline, would you?
Writing, for those who are serious about attaining an authentic career in letters, is no different.
The list that follows includes both physical and psychological components, many of which cross-over. This is not a one size fits all itemization; as ever, incorporate what works best for you, based on your individual circumstance, and do whatever you choose with the rest.
20 Self-Care Tips For Writers (in no formal order):
- Exercise. Or, at least, move. Whether you walk a certain number of steps daily, or belong to a gym, releasing those endorphins is integral to maintaining health and focus. We all know this, but how many of us are lazy about it? When you set to write with a clear head, regardless of whether you exercise before, after, or during your work, your productivity will likely drastically increase.
- Pretend the internet does not exist, unless you need it for research. On that note, for those to whom this applies, pretend you can’t watch porn for free.
- Schedule a specific writing time and eliminate all distractions during that period. Or, schedule a writing time when you will not be continually interrupted.
- Put your phone on silent mode.
- Keep water, coffee, tea, or…
