WRITING - Protecting Focus with Physical Care

Before writing, the first thing we would like to do, just like any athlete, is to warm up our body. I always recommend stretching your fingers, shoulders, and design a customized version of a physical warm-up tailored to your needs.

I’m pretty sure that you rarely do this, because, even though I have 20 years of experience, I don’t do this often enough. Lately, I’ve realized how important this is, not only to warm up but also to keep a diary of stretches when you take pauses. I keep a diary like an accountant, I’m thinking about the long run, about my physical body 20 years in the future. Self-care is self-respect.

The point is not only to warm up your body but also to signal that you will be writing in a few minutes. If anything, this is a great ritual, and five minutes is very sufficient.

When you stretch during your pauses, this will also relieve your writing focus away from your mind, and towards your body, and by that relieving you, or rather relieving that area of the brain of pressure so it can renew itself.

I am sure you’ve all heard about the importance of drinking water, and I’m equally sure that you never do enough of it, for the same reason as above, because I don’t. I’ve added this into my daily circle of writing, after seeing pictures of how the fascia around the muscles can dry up and dramatically stimulate the acidic elements within the body that lead to fatigue, and anxiety.

The occasional deep breath is also very helpful to keep a balanced mind during the writing. These are all very small, but very basic contributors to our longevity as storytellers. Taking good care of ourselves around writing has very little to do with us. It’s about protecting your competence in making sure he gets out to the world. So if you don’t feel like doing this, remember, is not about you, but your voice, and your ideas.

In short, warm up a little bit, drink a little bit of water, And breathe deeply on regular basis.