Comments on: Do Writers Favour Mind Over Body? http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2009/05/31/mind-over-body/ Adventures in Writing, Publishing and Book Marketing Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:41:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jules - Big Girl Bombshell http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2009/05/31/mind-over-body/comment-page-1/#comment-3950 Jules - Big Girl Bombshell Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:33:24 +0000 http://www.thecreativepenn.com/?p=1960#comment-3950 I break my writing down into small sessions. I get up at the crack of dawn. I write in my journal (morning pages) to release all the chatter. Then I do my morning exercises, then I hit the computer. Then it is off to the full time desk job. I stretch a lot and interrupt my tasks with computer, then filing or reading, editing, then back to the computer. Once home again, I break the computer activities up. This works for me but it also has taken years to develop this into a habit. It seemed unnatural at first, but it is like anything else, breaking it into small steps still gets the job accomplished. I break my writing down into small sessions. I get up at the crack of dawn. I write in my journal (morning pages) to release all the chatter. Then I do my morning exercises, then I hit the computer. Then it is off to the full time desk job. I stretch a lot and interrupt my tasks with computer, then filing or reading, editing, then back to the computer. Once home again, I break the computer activities up. This works for me but it also has taken years to develop this into a habit. It seemed unnatural at first, but it is like anything else, breaking it into small steps still gets the job accomplished.

]]> By: K.M. Weiland http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2009/05/31/mind-over-body/comment-page-1/#comment-1068 K.M. Weiland Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:23:34 +0000 http://www.thecreativepenn.com/?p=1960#comment-1068 I'm at my computer for at least eight hours every day, so I try to implement several habits that force to me get up and move around. I take the dog for a quick walk every few hours, and I leave my water glass upstairs (my office is downstairs), so I have to run upstairs every hour or so to get a drink. I also work out for half an hour every morning to make sure I keep my cardio in shape. As for my weak wrists... I heard recently about a new mouse that's supposed to shift the angle of your hand every fifteen minutes or so - thus relieving the stress. Can't remember the brand off the top of my head, but I intend to get one as soon as I can. I’m at my computer for at least eight hours every day, so I try to implement several habits that force to me get up and move around. I take the dog for a quick walk every few hours, and I leave my water glass upstairs (my office is downstairs), so I have to run upstairs every hour or so to get a drink. I also work out for half an hour every morning to make sure I keep my cardio in shape.

As for my weak wrists… I heard recently about a new mouse that’s supposed to shift the angle of your hand every fifteen minutes or so – thus relieving the stress. Can’t remember the brand off the top of my head, but I intend to get one as soon as I can.

]]> By: Ophelia http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2009/05/31/mind-over-body/comment-page-1/#comment-1061 Ophelia Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:28:57 +0000 http://www.thecreativepenn.com/?p=1960#comment-1061 Thanks for this post. It's so true - it's really hard to stop when you're in the zone! I have the same physical reactions as you - plus the jutting forward head computer position. It seems to lead to mental stress and tiredness too - which is not great for writing, and pretty disastrous for editing. Perhaps we need to set a little (pleasant-sounding) alarm to remind us to check our position and do a stretch? It also feels great to take a notebook (or print-out your own work or editing - on scrap paper, of course) and walk down to the local cafe or park. Really freshens the brain and body, but keeps you in touch with your work (if you don't want to totally lose touch). It's hard to do this, especially when on a deadline, but I find it leads to better output anyway. I just have to remember to do it! Thanks for this post. It’s so true – it’s really hard to stop when you’re in the zone! I have the same physical reactions as you – plus the jutting forward head computer position. It seems to lead to mental stress and tiredness too – which is not great for writing, and pretty disastrous for editing. Perhaps we need to set a little (pleasant-sounding) alarm to remind us to check our position and do a stretch? It also feels great to take a notebook (or print-out your own work or editing – on scrap paper, of course) and walk down to the local cafe or park. Really freshens the brain and body, but keeps you in touch with your work (if you don’t want to totally lose touch). It’s hard to do this, especially when on a deadline, but I find it leads to better output anyway. I just have to remember to do it!

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