Is your life balanced? Do you work, rest and play alike? If you are a modern person, juggling writing, a day job, and a family, your answer is, “What are you talking about?” We will most likely need to move more *, play more, and rest more.

Physical exercise is a wonderful counterweight to the concentrated mental work and solitary lifestyle of a writer. Our work as writers must be the first priority if we want to do our work. Ironically though, making time in our schedule to move reminds us that we are more than just the mind. We are also of the body.

Exercise is a great way to stimulate your creativity and change your perspective on your writing. I see exercise as a form of play. Remember when you were a kid and you ran playing hide and seek or hide and seek until dark? I affirm that the right exercise for you can be that same kind of joy “in the moment.” All you need to do is rediscover what kind of exercise is right for you.

After nearly three years of exercising regularly, I share my vision from the perspective of someone who has never exercised regularly before.

Step one – The fun factor

Find an exercise that you like! Use your childhood passions for inspiration. How can you turn one or many of them into something you can do now? Biking, walking, swimming, running, yoga, one of the many forms of dance, the list is endless.

Second step – Small steps

Start with short, low-impact classes or short periods outdoors. Let’s take walking as an example: it’s simple, almost anyone can do it, and the investment in equipment is minimal. On the first day, go to a nice place and walk for ten minutes. Enjoy your surroundings, creatures and people. See how you feel. Breathe in the fresh air. Remember to stretch.

If you’re out of shape, your goal for the first week is to walk twice for just ten minutes each. Stick to a regular schedule until you can move the frequency up to three times a week. Then gradually increase the length of your walks, going from 10 to 12 minutes. Then add a few more minutes, until you walk for 35 to 40 minutes three times a week. The goal of the game is to be fun and say, “I can do this!”

Follow-up

Keep track of your routine and your progress. Keep a record of the date, activity and its duration on an index card or in a workbook.

Be kind to yourself

Don’t overdo it. Excessive expectations are counterproductive in this area of ​​small steps. Be aware of what is reasonable, in terms of the activity chosen, the time allotted, and the expectation that it will change your life and body instantly. Choose a place to exercise that is between work and home, or easily accessible, such as your living room. And use music, if you want, to lift your spirits as you move!

Sacrifice

Like everything important, making time to exercise requires giving up something else in your schedule, like television or too much volunteer work.

Balance the intense demands of your life as a writer with the time you spend in the body. A calmer, clearer writer’s mind and better health are the rewards of taking time to exercise.

Happy exercising and writing!

* This is an informational article only, it is not intended to give medical advice. My information comes from my own experience and that of others.