One day, I began to think about how well I really took care of myself as a writer, one who spends hours slouching behind her computer desk, constantly focusing on the screen, and forgetting everything around her.
Of course, nutrition is important and so is a regular exercise program; however, I was looking more so at my habits while writing and finding remedies that I could incorporate that would contribute to the betterment of my health, during my writing hours.
During my long days and often nights of writing, I began to critically access myself from the top down.
Mind
Do I clear my thoughts enough?
For someone, like me, who often writes many hours straight through, forgetting to take any descent breaks, the thought seldom occurred to me.
I alleviated this problem by getting out of my office for a short time after two or three hours of writing, to refresh my thinking . This distraction enhanced my creativity, often giving me a new perspective on my writing.
Eyes
Do I give my eyes enough breaks from the hours of staring at the bright screen?
Being so absorbed in my writing, I seldom gave my eyes any consideration other then when they screamed from dryness or ached from tiredness.
Every fifteen minutes, it is recommended to look away from the screen and stare at a distant object to change your focus. Of course, being so absorbed in my writing, how was I to remember to look away every so often.
As a reminder, I used a timer that I set for fifteen-minute intervals. After each fifteen minutes, I take a few minutes to look out my office window and focus on something farther away. I know that without an alarm reminding me, the task would be next to impossible. Those fifteen minutes would slip to an hour, probably more like two or three.
Back
Do I sit up straight?
I discovered my posture, too, needed improvement. I couldn’t believe how many times, I caught myself slouching.
Slouching was a more difficult point to conquer. I often didn’t realize that I was sitting in that terrible hunched position. A good chair helps, but it can only do so much. I needed to be consciously aware of my posture at all times. I did get help from my family. When they see me sitting hunched over, they come and press my shoulders back as a reminder to sit straight. I also started doing weight lifting to strengthen the muscles that help keep your back and shoulders straight. What really helped was setting a book on top of my head. Yes, I know it looks ridiculous but it works! I have noticed that sitting straight makes the long hours of writing more comfortable.
Hands
Do I treat my typing hands with respect?
This was one thing I did do.
When I began to write longer hours, I invested in a proper keyboard to take away the strain on my wrists, I got a proper mouse and key pad for support, and often during my writing, I give my hands a light shake or stretch.
Legs
Do I get enough movement into my legs while I write?
Who thinks of their legs when they are absorbed in their writing?
Sitting for long periods is terrible for the legs; in fact, it has many ill effects on your health. It is claimed that extreme sedentary is worse than excessive smoking. I never knew that my long hours behind my desk was so unhealthy. Inactivity is such a problem that an organization exists that fights against it, called Researchers against Inactivity-Related Disorders (RID).
Due to the importance of regular movement, I put a stair-climber right beside my office desk. Using my trusted timer again, every half hour, I step onto my climber to exercise my legs for a short time, enhancing my circulation.
Now that I treat my body with care, it rewards me with feeling better and having a clearer mind with improved concentration. I hope, I can continue to enforce these points for the betterment of my health and my success.
Everywhere you look, sadly, there is some form of security to protect our valuables. Alarms and motion detectors for the home, anti-auto theft devices for vehicles, heavy duty locks for bikes, safes for money and valuables, passwords and encryption to protect data, and the list goes on and on.
Computer and Network Security
I wonder if there is anything of value nowadays that doesn’t get secured?
Regrettably not unless you’re asking to part with it.
Because of high theft, we have become a locked up, secured, and highly protected society. Anything valuable must have security to protect it.
So what do I use to protect my writing?
My hard-earned labor of love gets only the best of security from my trusted Iron Key.
The World's Most Secure Flash Drive
What’s an Iron Key?
It’s a type of heavy-duty memory key that travels with me wherever I go, protecting all my written stories. It’s the world’s most secure flash drive with military-grade encryption. Comes with a secure private browser that protects your password when online and cannot be disabled by worms, viruses or other malware.
I accidently put it to the test when I used my son’s infected laptop. Although I ignorantly worked on the laptop for a number of hours, unaware it had a virus, nothing on my key was compromised. Phew!
Should I lose my key, ten incorrect passwords tries will literally disintegrate the data, meaning no trace of recovery and insuring my work doesn’t get into dishonest hands. As well, a rugged, tamper-resistant, waterproof, metal casing that protects against physical damage should I accidently subject it to the elements.
For Backing Up and Storing Files
Of course, in addition, all my writing is backed up to a secure hosting service like Drop Box and a personal hard drive. Unfortunately, once my stories are published or distributed, the protection is minimal. Plagiarism is a thriving industry, but at least, I have the peace of mind of having it under lock and key until it reaches my readers.
Awhile back, I began to practice my, “Motto of the Month”, to help develop, motivate, and improve myself in all facets of my life.
What is my “Motto of the Month?”
At the beginning of every month, I come up with a motto that I incorporate faithfully for that month.
Why for a month?
Because I learned that, it takes at least three weeks to break bad habits.
When I first started using a rule to live by each month, it had been strictly for my writing practices, but I later incorporated it to encompass the rest of my tasks.
One motto that I used was something that I had always impressed upon my children to do: Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability.
I was already doing my writing to the best of my ability, but what about my other tasks.
Tasks you enjoy come easily; the ones you dislike are the ones that need dedication.
By everything, I meant every task like doing errands, cleaning, laundry (which I absolutely hate), grocery shopping, telephone calls, flossing teeth, planning dinner, taking out garbage, car washing, working-out, and so forth. You get the idea. No matter what the task, I would do it to the best of my ability.
It’s amazing when you start to analyze each task you take-to-hand, how much improvement can be added if you do it to the best of your ability. I have to admit that I found it sad how many of my mundane and disliked tasks were not completed to the standard I was capable of doing them.
Doing everything with
care
precision
quality
can enormously enhance your life and the life of others. Surprisingly, it doesn’t even take that much more time to do things to the best of your ability; in fact, I found it often saved me time in the long run. I didn’t need to redo or finishing doing something that was only partly or incorrectly done.
What it did require was mental energy, the willingness to do it to my best standards.
After applying my “Motto of the Month” for a whole month, it started to become automatic. I have never looked at a task the same again. I do my jobs with pride and have a great sense of satisfaction knowing I did it to the best I was capable of doing it.
I highly recommend you try this motto, everything you do, do to the best of your ability, and see the phenomenal results you get. I assure you, your life we be enormously improved.
I am one step closer to finishing my book, and it’s been an interesting and rewarding journey so far.
When I first became serious about publishing my fantasy novel, I realized that treating my writing as a hobby was not going to work. From that point on, I vowed that whatever I did or needed to do, it would get my total effort – I would treat my writing as a professional career.
The Alkahest - New Novel by Alandra CL
This professionalism extended not only into my creations, but also into my research, the time allotted to writing, my dedication, and most importantly, my attitude. Combining all these factors has turned a simple writing-for-pleasure into a writing career. Suddenly writing assignments began to come to me. They were not exactly, the type of writing that I dreamed of doing, but it was a means to an end, meaning, it allowed me to be published, to gain experience in the writing world, and to nurture the idea that writing was a serious occupation, not a hobby as I had so long felt it to be.
For a long time, I had asked myself when is a writer really a writer. When does one deserve to hold the title of a true writer?
I used to think it was when one had their first work published, but having had writing work published, I no longer feel that to be the case. I am certain there are good writers out there who have never had anything published. I believe that one is a writer when one possesses these two key ingredients: they treat their writing seriously, and they feel like a writer in their heart.
My road has been long. And while it may seem to others–from the outside looking in–that this is just a job like any other; for me, it has exploded into a passion that has taught me an incredible amount and has fuelled me to push harder and continue down that sometimes difficult road with no regrets, much optimism, and horrendous enjoyment.
In my opinion, the saying holds true that it is not the destination but the journey that brings more fulfillment, because a destination is fleeting whereas the journey is long and memorable.
Mind
Eyes
Legs
