Self Care and Writing

Odds are, if you're a writer, then you probably go out to work too. Hell, even T.S. Eliot had a day job. Whether it's full-time or part-time, working while finding time to write isn't easy and it can be tiring to have all your time allocated. 

When you work and write, keeping up your energy and health is important to consider. So, what exactly is self-care and how do you do it? Read on to find out.

What is Self Care?

In a nutshell, it means taking care of yourself by doing things that strengthen your physical and mental well-being. It's a choice you make and it's different for everyone. Maybe for you it's reading a good book in the bath, or it could be sky-diving out of a plane. It might even be as simple as putting aside your work in progress to write a poem instead. It's whatever brings you joy and improves your mood.

Self care doesn't mean you have to go out seeking adventure. It doesn't mean you have to find a dark room and meditate. It doesn't have to be expensive. It doesn't have to be difficult. 

Why is Self Care Important?

When you're a writer, or artist, or anyone with a side-gig, it means your free time isn't really free. It's already taken up with whatever you're working on. When you have a spare minute, your mind automatically goes to plot-lines and characters. 

The need to be productive all the time can be exhausting, and it can lead to burn-out, depression and anxiety. The good news is that building a self-care routine has proven to reduce stress, while improving your concentration and your energy. 

Mental health is important and by taking care of yourself, you're tackling depression and anxiety. 

How to Care For Yourself

There are different aspects to consider - Physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being - and it doesn't have to be expensive. 

Some simple and cheap ways to look after yourself can include: Going to bed early, taking a walk, watching a movie or listening to music. You could eat your favourite meal. Drink more water. If you enjoy it then do it, and don't feel guilty about not spending every minute being productive, because self-care is productive.

Maybe what you need is to get out of the house and spend time with your friends. Go for some food, have a board game night. Meet your friends for cocktails. 

Do you enjoy puzzles? Do you like spending time with your pet? How about paint-by-numbers? Taking photographs? What do you enjoy, because spending time on whatever it is... that's going to save you from burning out. 

What Works For You

Find the thing that makes you happy. We live in a time where money is short and bills are steep. It's expensive just to live, and that means we work hard for every little thing we have. That means we're tired. 

I have a baby, a dog, a day job and a writing career to nurture, so my idea of self-care is eating Maoam JoyStixx while watching Modern Family in the middle of the night as my baby sleeps on me. It also includes naps on the sofa and walking my dog. 

What is it for you? If you don't know then you're not spending enough time on self-care. 

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Real Life Intrudes

 

I don't know about you, but as a writer I find the act of putting words onto paper or onto screen a cathartic expression.

I doesn't matter the subject, genre, or what form the writing takes. The very act of roaming in my mind, romping through my emotions and making it into something, has an almost therapeutic impact.

Unfortunately, sometimes, real life gets in the way. Writing is a major priority in my life, it’s an important aspect of who I am, but it is not the main source of my income. That comes from my day job. I’m not at the stage in my writing career where I can take the bet on myself and go all in, so for now, I need to find secure employment and that takes my free time away from writing.

The problem with this is, if I go too long without putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, I start to suffer from attacks of anxiety. Does that happen to anyone else?

I don’t always think about how important writing is to my life until I can’t do it. Usually, it’s just something I like to do, but as it turns out, it’s also my release. A place to escape to when I need it.

At the moment with the day job taking over, it feels as though real life is getting in the way. It’s a simple fact that when you’re in the process of building your creative career, when you have to work a day job, when your creative activity is not your primary money earner, there will be times it gets pushed out. Maybe you have to put more hours in at your day job, maybe you’re taking it home with you. Whatever’s going on, not being able to write is difficult.

Life is stressful enough, but now with the added pressure to bring in sustainable money, losing the one thing that eases my anxiety-ridden mind, is the hardest part of all.