Writing isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s not a dreamy job that allows you to line your pockets with gold while lounging in your pajamas and staring dreamily out at a stunning view. Even if you’ve only been writing for a living for a few weeks, you no doubt have a solid realization that your career requires long hours and hard work. More than that, writing takes a toll on your body. While the health effects of a writing career are significant, they aren’t all bad. More than that, once you acknowledge the detrimental factors, you can take steps to counter them.
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Negative Health Effects of a Writing Career
Few people fall into a writing career. It’s often specifically selected because of talents and passions. Being able to earn a living doing what you love is a blessing regardless of which career your choose. Writing, however, immerses you in a unique lifestyle. To do the work, you must be alone, completely focused and typically seated. How exactly do these impact your health?
A Sedentary Lifestyle
Unless you have another source of income, you likely spend a solid 40 hours or more sitting in the same spot in your home week after week. You may get up to use the bathroom or make a snack, but you don’t regularly walk down long hallways to reach the conference room, much less spend long hours on your feet. After work, your brain could feel like a pile of mush. Everything about writing exercises your brain to the point of exhaustion. At the end of the day, you may want to do nothing more than binge your favorite shows.
Here are a few of the risks of sitting for long hours at a time:
- Musculoskeletal issues
- Increased blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Increased risk of obesity, diabetes stroke and heart disease
Isolation
Writers cherish their solitude. They immerse themselves in a zone, a party of one. If you’re a full-time writer, though, isolation could increasingly take a toll on your mental health. Of course, many people work at home, so what makes writing different from many other at-home jobs? Generally, writers aren’t interacting with others on business calls and Zoom meetings. They don’t venture out to visit clients. If you’re like many writers, you start your day staring at your computer, and that continues all day with a few breaks for snacks and the bathroom. It can be a lonely life.
How does social isolation affect your mental health? It contributes to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Agitation and irritability
- Insomnia
- Difficulty thinking and focusing
Nutrition
When you work outside the home, you have access to the foods and beverages that you pack in the morning. If you have a healthy budget available, you could choose to dine at various restaurants. Often, snacks are available in an office break room. Generally, however, your meal and snack times are limited. Your options are limited by what you pack, your budget, what’s nearby and even if you have time to take a lunch break on any given day.
When you work just steps from your stocked kitchen and pantry, you have access to all of your favorites. You can grab a few snacks here and there, grazing throughout the day. While you could stock your shelves with healthy options and make an effort to prepare a fresh salad every day, many of us don’t do that. This is combined with a sedentary lifestyle to wreak havoc on your health.
Positive Health Effects of a Writing Career
The negative health effects of spending long hours writing throughout the week are significant, but your chosen career isn’t all bad. In fact, it presents you with several opportunities to enjoy a healthier lifestyle than some of your office-bound counterparts.
A Healthy Outlet
For many writers, pouring out their thoughts on paper (okay, a computer screen) is therapeutic. You have time to reflect quietly on various topics that are important to you. More than that, you have an outlet for putting those organized thoughts and emotions on paper and sharing them with the world. Of course, unless you’re a full-time author, you also have to write about topics that don’t necessarily correlate to an emotional outpouring. Why not do both?
Journaling is akin to writing in a diary, but you can take a spin on journaling by writing a personal blog or publishing on Medium. You don’t have to bare your heart and soul. Instead, take a deep dive on something relevant. At some point, these avenues could produce a decent side income for you. What can journaling do for you?
- Reduce stress
- Lower blood pressure
- Improve mood
- Decrease negative thoughts
Opportunities for Movement
Unless you’re a salaried writer, you aren’t earning money if you aren’t writing. Taking 30 minutes off daily equates to a sizable amount of money over the course of a month. However, unlike workers who are tied to a desk in an office, we have the opportunity to be active. In fact, increasing your activity level can improve your focus and help you write better after your short break. Try taking several 5 or 10-minute breaks throughout the day to stretch and take a short walk. After you try it on for size, you can experience the impact of movement on your productivity.
Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Writers
Workout
According to health.gov, the recommended level of exercise for adults is at least 150 minutes per week. What does this look like? That’s 30 minutes per day during the week, or 15 minutes twice a day. For example, take a walk before and after work. Add your stretch breaks in, and you’re doing great!
Ideally, you’ll get exercise daily rather than in large lumps. However, if you have 45 minutes available on Saturdays and Sundays, you only need 12 minutes a day during the week to hit 150 minutes. Keep in mind that the minimum recommendation is 150 minutes. Consider building up to greater levels of activity slowly for optimal health.
Reach Out
Writing can be a lonely job, but it doesn’t have to be. There are numerous groups where writers gather online, so you can find a community or tribe that you can connect with. On your stretch or walk breaks, pick up the phone and call a friend, a sibling, a parent or someone else. Consider inviting a neighbor to start walking with you every morning or evening. As adults, staying in touch with friends takes effort, so make a point of reaching out to your core group regularly. If you’ve lost touch, you can always get out of the house to make new friends. Participate in activities that you enjoy, and you’ll meet like-minded people.
Mellow Out
When you’re stressed about deadlines or simply by the fact that you’ve been isolated and sedentary for long hours on end, find a way to chill out. Turn on some relaxing music. Learn how to meditate. Practice gratitude. Light a candle. Pet your dog or cat. Find something small that adds meaning to your life or simply makes you happy, and spend a few minutes focusing on that thing.
Veg Out
Who says snacks and drinks have to be unhealthy? The reality is that you’ll eat what’s in your fridge or pantry, and you are in control over what you buy. Stock up on carrot sticks, grapes and other finger foods if you’re a grazer. Skip the bag of chips at the grocery store, and add some cottage cheese or whole wheat crackers. To make healthy choices at the grocery store, prepare a list ahead of time and stick to it. While there’s usually a surcharge to do curbside pickup, ordering your groceries online could help you avoid impulse purchases and stick to your list. (I’ve noticed that I spend less on groceries when I don’t actually go inside the store.)
Write for a Healthier, Wealthier You
Having a healthy lifestyle as a full-time writer isn’t something that just happens. It takes regular effort. Given the significant downsides of not taking action, this could be the time to make a few healthy changes.