Imagine
sitting at your desk (a spacious and well-kept oasis) without a care in the
world and no annoying distractions…
What?! This
doesn’t describe your life?
Life is full
of stresses, lots of challenges, interruptions, households to maintain,
children to nurture, bills to pay, and that doesn’t even include family health
emergencies, past due dunning notices, family responsibilities, unforeseen and
sudden expenses, moodiness from those around you and more, so very much more.
When life
comes by and smacks you in the face how can you get back to writing? Here are a
few tips: Cut down on distractions ~ go into a room where you can close the
door behind you (hang a sign telling family members you are BUSY working); let
any phone calls go to voicemail. Turn off the TV if it is in the same room ~
playing light and low volume music or ocean sounds can help tune out surrounding
noises. Practice yoga, talk a short walk, or exercise for 15-minutes to help
focus your energies. Drink water or herbal tea, snack on yogurt or almonds ~
avoid (too much) caffeine, sugary drinks or snacks, alcohol, or high-energy
drinks as they will make you jittery. If you need to reduce stress, read for a
few minutes.
Life can
have ups and downs and dealing with bad news can inhibit your creativity. Spend
some time free-writing before tackling your assigned work and deadlines; write
about anything that involves your emotions. According to reports from Harvard
Medical School writing about your emotional traumas can help you manage your
stress, Use a journal and write honestly and use raw emotions. (They suggest that
fresh SEVERE trauma may need to simmer a bit before you are ready to write
about it.)
Do some journal writing and/or free-write to help manage your anxiety
and start the creative juices flowing. If you need to take time off from
writing to deal with your emotions then be patient with yourself when you come
back to writing, work for short stints and take a relaxing break (like a short
walk) and eventually you will find yourself being able to devote more time to
your craft. *And if you find it increasingly difficult to get back to work then
don’t be shy about seeking professional help, your writer’s mind will thank you
for it.
Writing
Exercise: Take a moment to sit back and close your eyes. Think of everything
you’ve done in the past 3-to-4 hours; think of the smells, sounds, tastes,
sensations and temperature. Write a few paragraphs about those past few hours BUT
DO NOT SPECIFY THE ACTUAL ACTIVITIES. Write about everything using only your
senses as description (in other words don’t talk fresh chocolate chip cookies,
instead mention the smell of warm chocolate, the crunch when you took a bite…).
Writing
Prompt: List every emotion you experienced in the past 24-hours. List each emotion
and add ONLY ONE WORD about what inspired that specific emotion.
Challenge
Assignment: Write a short eulogy for someone who passed away that you were very
close to.
