Take A Break

It is awesome when you're writing and you get into a groove. Hours can fly by without you even realizing it. Of course, that is special to us because it is so rare. Usually, we write piece by piece and do a whole lot of staring. As such, there are a lot of things I don't worry about.

I don't worry about getting carpal tunnel syndrome. I don't worry about not using an ergonomic keyboard. I don't worry about repetitive stress issues. Simply put, I don't write fast enough or consistently enough to worry about those problems.

However, there are physical issues that shouldn't be ignored. For example, there is posture. I have never found a perfect chair for writing. When I'm at a desk, I am either sitting straight up or am hunching over. Either way, it is not very comfortable. I personally love to put my feet up and write with a keyboard or a notebook in my lap. The problem there is that it is impossible to write that way. I can either be comfortable or I can be functional, but I can't do both very well.

Even if I am not writing during a whole period of time, I'm usually sitting down the whole time. It's easy to forget how much stress that creates. If I'm hunching over, straightening my back helps, but I can still feel that I'm getting sore. If I stand up, do do some stretching, and take even a couple of minutes to do something else, it really refreshes the body.

Taking a break is also great for refreshing the mind. Sometimes we just get stuck. We think about the same things over and over again. We get bogged down by our own mind. Leaving your station, doing something else, thinking different thoughts, it clears up the fog. Once you get your gears turning again, you'll be able to pick right up when you sit down to write again.

If you write for an hour, take a break. Grab a drink, use the bathroom, or just stretch your body. If you're just staring into space anyway, you might as well do something while you're doing nothing. Breaks are good. They're good for the body and for the mind. Don't forget to take care of both.