Self-Care is Essential for a Healthy Writing Life
As we become engaged in writing, it’s possible to forget certain important aspects of maintaining a healthy writing life—that is, self-care. Remember, the importance of a busy and productive schedule does not rank higher than practicing self-care.
A writer’s health is essential to having a full writing life. Work without thought to self-care will leave you burnt out before you reach your dreams. Daily self-care is the key to maintaining a joyful writing life for years to come.
Yet self-care isn’t always getting a massage. While you certainly can plan a spa day, the self-care I am referring to is everyday—and even mundane—acts of self-care. The immediate image of self-care is doing luxurious things that make us relax, but self-care is also about the small and practical tasks in our day which keep us clear-headed and energized.
In this post we will go over 5 daily acts of self-care you can put into practice today. As you read, consider how you can implement these acts in your writing life.
1. Water
It’s a good guess you have been told countless times to drink water throughout the day, and how many ounces you should drink daily. While I dislike sounding like an old record, water is an essential part of every human.
A mild case of dehydration can cause headaches and tiredness, and those symptoms alone make writing a struggle. Drinking water throughout the day will increase your energy to write, and may even reduce your snack consumption, as feelings of hunger can actually be your body signaling for water sometimes.
With the notorious amount of caffeine writers are known for consuming (caffeine is a diuretic and, therefore, dehydrates us), our coffee and tea could be causing more harm than good. Be sure to drink water throughout the day, especially on days when you consume a lot of caffeine.
It may feel like a drag, but keeping hydrated is an act of self-care.
2. Movement
Our bodies were designed to be active, but writing is not an active profession. For the most part we are sedentary, and while it is good to sit, there should be balance by being active. Your body will thank you by loosening your joints, relieving the crick in your neck, and unwinding the tension in your shoulders.
Not only is movement good for your body, but movement is good for clearing your mind, relieving stress, and boosting creativity. Taking time to move is like inhaling a breath of fresh air before going back to work.
Some ways to get movement in your day is to take a walk, go to the gym, or do some gardening. Find something active that you love to do, so it won’t be a chore, but something you will look forward to.
Having a regular writing routine is important, but it’s equally important to give yourself breaks and to prioritize self-care. Using this workbook, you’ll be able to create a healthier, more balanced life while continuing to make progress on your writing goals. Self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity—and this workbook will help you get the most out of your creative process.
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3. Sleep
Where do we get all our creative energy? That’s right: sleep.
At night when we sleep our brains are being recharged with fresh ideas, and our bodies relieved of tiredness. A good amount of sleep should give your brain energy to process and complete your writing productively, and your body the energy to last the day.
Skimping on sleep, though, is tempting. Less sleep may buy you more time, but lack of sleep reduces your ability to concentrate and produce quality work. Being tired will detriment your productivity and you’ll burn out in the long haul.
Respect your body and mind by giving them the sleep they need to give you energy. A good target is 7-8 hours a night.
4. Communication
A writer’s work is accomplished alone, but a writer alone will not make it far. In other words, humans need communication with other humans, and writers need fellowship with other writers.
Even if you are an introvert, conversing with friends and family is healthy for your mind and soul. We spend a lot of time in our heads stringing words together, and sometimes we need to get out of our heads and experience life.
Communicating with other writers is important as well. If you have yet to find a writing community offline or online, find one to join now. Community fosters encouragement and motivation for writers to feed from. Be intentional to converse with others in the craft of writing, and you will find your writing and spirit will improve.
5. Healthy Food
To receive what you expect from your mind and body you must first respect its needs. Eating well is often associated with our physical well-being, but what we eat has an affect on our mind, too.
Our mind and emotions are connected to how we take care of our physical bodies. Being conscious to eat healthy (including your snacks) can improve your mood, give you more energy, and clear your thinking. All of those are great benefits for writers.
While this may mean making sacrifices in what you eat, your gain will be seen in an easier writing life and better, faster writing.
Feel Better, Write Better
A productive writing life is dependent on your health. What self-care you undertake, or do not, will determine your performance and the joy you find in writing. Being conscious of respecting your body will glean large rewards in the long run.
The self-care acts above are small, daily practices that can be easily implemented. The gain of taking care of yourself will outweigh the few extra hours you receive from cutting down on sleep.
Some bad practices will be hard to break, and the rewards they are proven to produce doubted. Yet when you take care of yourself as a writer, I guarantee you will feel better, and write better.
Featured Photo by Erriko Boccia on Unsplash
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S.J. Siedenburg is a thriller & fantasy novelist, an editor, and a bibliophile with a passion for stories and helping writers finish their novels. She’s the author of the guidebooks Character Presentation, Before the First Draft, and the How to Write a Novel online course. Six of her short stories have been published through writing contests. Sarah lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” —John 1:5