Writers have a variety of methods of inputting the words in their manuscripts, but most methods have one thing in common: they involve sitting still in front of  device, concentrating for long periods of time.  I’ve written this way, for decades, which has led to back problems and other health issues.  So I’m starting to focus more on movement breaks.  So far, this includes 3-minute exercise videos, dance breaks, and using an exerbike desk for at least part of the day.  But my recommendation is to start focusing on balance NOW before you have problems that could be fixed with a better chair or frequent walks around the block.

I’ve met writers who center their whole writing practice around movement.  Kevin J. Anderson dictates his work while hiking through the mountains in Colorado.  He said that the more intense the scene gets, the faster he hikes.  Others look to movement to work through creative block or refill the creative well.  I participated in a multi-week session with a number of other writers considering The Artist’s Way, a book that recommends walks outdoors to put yourself in a different more creative brain space.
For me, part of the solution is actually leaving my house to write.  I wind up more focused on the amount of time I have been sitting if I am somewhere out in public, which means that I am both more concentrated on my project, and more likely to have somewhere nearby where I feel safe walking – or hitting the gym — by myself.

I was sitting in on a webinar with Bryan Cohen, and he was discussing rewards, both for big milestones and for showing up for the everyday work involved in writing and marketing books.  He asked us to brainstorm something that we could do every day, and my immediate thought was to reward a work session with a stretch break, and I realized that I actually look forward to stretching as a way to recognize what I have put my body through by sitting down to work.  Instead of having to set reminders for myself, I’m actually anticipating the stretch breaks and the dance breaks.  I guess I’m taking a page from my cats, who seem to enjoy both languid stretching and mid morning — or 3-AM zoomies.

Have you set up your workspace to optimize ergonomic sitting, especially protecting your wrists from repetitive motion damage?  If you (like me) work with a laptop, do you find spaces to work with tables at a reasonable height, and avoid ridiculously proportioned chairs?  How do you incorporate movement, balance, and reward into your writing practice?