How many hours ideally would you like to write each day? Two? Four? Ten?
I used to have this idea that the goal was always more. And that if I had more time, I’d have more pages and better pages, which would result in more books and better books.
But, recently, I’m revising this idea. How healthy is it to sit on my butt for ten hours in a chair? Probably not very. Does my body want to do that? No. I need to move. I need to spend time outside.
A couple of weeks ago, I met a physical therapist who recommended that I need to stretch every fifty minutes for at least five minutes when I’m sitting in front of the computer. He recommended using a timer of some kind, for those of us that get lost in the moment (you can only hope right). So I’m trying to heed his advice. Mostly, I go downstairs every fifty minutes and make herbal tea and get plaintain chips.
Recently, I joined a gym, even though I walk every morning. I was finding that walking wasn’t enough exercise. I needed more core strengthening. So the for the past few weeks, I’ve turned into a gym rat, which means I have two hours less per day to write.
And yes, I’ve joined a gym in the past. And I’ve pledged that I will go three or four times a week, and I do. But then after three weeks I start to slip and then, suddenly, I’m gym-less. Now in the past, I would congratulate myself. Hillary, you are so wise. Think about how much more writing time you get when you don’t go to the gym each week.
And for many years that worked for me. I got away with not regularly exercising and spent every spare moment that I wasn’t managing a household (ha!) and child-rearing.
But then, well, my body spoke me to me–ya, need to get on the exercise thang. Seriously.
So for the past bunch of weeks, I’ve been writing less in terms of hours, but I’m hoping with a newly oxygenated brain and strengthening core that I’ll be crafting with more brain cells activated.
Only time will tell if it’s a good strategy for my writing. But I know it’s good for my body and soul.
Yours,
Hillary