Starting a Movement: 5 things we writers can do to move more than our fingers while we work
By: Felicia Joly, Author of The ABC’s of Wealth (Starting a Movement: 5 things we writers can do to move more than our fingers while we work)
I write a lot for work and work a lot from home. When I am home, my six-year-old often comes by to see whether I am available for playtime. On one particular occasion when I was very busy for hours on end and far too absorbed in my work to be any fun at all, he voiced his genuine concern. “Mommy, I don’t like your work; you just sit there and wiggle your fingers all day. I like to move my whole body.” Of course I did all I could to keep from laughing out loud and adding insult to injury in view of his current state of frustration. After that “mic drop,” he left me to yet again “wiggle” my fingers.
After a good 15 minutes of secret mommy giggles, I started thinking deeply about the need to stay more active on the days when I am hard wired to my keyboard. As writers, we do spend quite a bit of time in deep thought and typing, and not moving our bodies nearly as much as we should. Inspired by my little boy, I made a short and simple list of five things we writers can do to wiggle more than our fingers while we work.
1. Walk away
Keeping active is good for both energy flow and our flow of ideas. Take a five-minute break to stretch our legs every hour. It’s hard to walk away in the middle of a great idea, however, it’s amazing how a well-timed break can turn into a well-spring of inspiration. Walk around the house, the office or around the block. Just get moving.
2. Dance around
Sounds like fun, right? Listen to an upbeat song, tap those toes, or choreograph a new routine. Clearing the mind with movement helps us to keep going longer and stronger. The more small breaks we take the more sustained our concentration is over long periods, and this sure does help with productivity. Try this at home—attempting this at the office is only for the brave and the bold.
3. Stretch it out
Do some light stretches; this helps to reduce muscle tension and allows us to relax and enjoy the work we love best.
4. Yoga Poses
Breathe deeply. Take the time to create healthy interludes between the prolific paragraphs and endless edits.
Stretch your mind too with our Yoga for the Mind Part 1 and Part 2.
5. Jog on the spot
Even when it’s just for 30 seconds, jogging gets our heart pumping and creative ideas flowing.
Keeping active is good for both energy flow and our flow of ideas
Next time you find yourself at the mercy of a deadline or unnaturally tethered to your work space, remember to move more than your fingers and eyes. Mind work is great, however, be sure to balance it with a little body work too!
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Felicia Joly is the founder of Power@Play. Together with her husband, Clyveens Joly, Felicia has co-created and written The ABC’s of Wealth. In her quest to improve financial literacy for the next generation, she has included themes, ideas and activities in this book to encourage both children and parents to set goals, cultivate the right habits and systematically plan for multi-generational wealth. www.poweratplay.org
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