As outlined yesterday, the first “tactic” of the successful Writer – Do it – was simple, if time-consuming.
The next, by contrast, is deceptively difficult to master – though it takes but a fleeting second.
Tactic 2: Eye breaks.
Writing, in and of itself, can be a headache. It’s hard work. Stress is involved. Deadlines, self-imposed or elsewise.
So why add to the stress and headaches by failing to pay attention to your eyes?
I was fortunate, most of my career, to have a desk looking out one second-story window or another. My mind is wont to wonder, so it was second-nature to look away from my work and gaze into the distance.
But right now, I’m looking at the wall – barely an arms-length away.
Trust me on this: Don’t spend your day looking at a computer screen and a white wall three feet away. Every minute or two, make a conscious effort to turn you head (and/or body) and shift your focus to an object at least six or eight feet distant.
Changing the focal length of your eyeball exercises the muscles that coordinate the work of your cornea and your retina. Think of it as isometric calisthenics.
Aside from that, listen to your mother: Sit up straight, chin up, feet flat on the floor. If your back, shoulders or wrists are talking to you, stand up and stretch – a good idea every 20 minutes or so even if you don’t have audio hallucinations emanating from various body parts.
One excellent tactic, even if you don’t believe it’s a good idea to drink an ounce of water a day for every pound you weigh: Drink an ounce of water a day for every pound you weigh. Doctors will tell you it hydrates your brain and skin, keeps the bloodstream hydrated, and is a generally good idea.
That’s all well and good. Me, I don’t always wear a watch. If I drink a ton of water, I have too get out of my chair every 20 minutes or so to pee ... offering the untimed but on-time opportunity to stretch a variety of body parts.
No comments:
Post a Comment