WHY SELF-CARE CAN HELP
Last week I talked about taking care of your writer self (found here) and this week I thought I would touch on why it's a good idea to do so. For those who may not realise, I'm chronically ill and disabled and have been writing since I was 19, and published since I was 23, I'm 42 now. I have almost 22 books out, with the 22nd coming in October, and I've also drafted nearly 50 books. I don't tell you all of that to brag or to score points, but to give you an idea of where I'm coming from, when I tell you that self-care is a massive help to keeping on track, and also managing to write full stop.
I have always been a big advocate for taking breaks, even when you don't think you've 'earned' them, which to me is not true, because we're all human and we all need a chance to recharge and regroup before going back to work. Being creative is a drain on your body, and I don't mean that negatively, but just that it takes a lot of energy and time to get to the point where you have something that works. It's a lot of work being an author, being a writer, being any kind of creative, and a lot of the time, people don't realise just how much of it happens behind the scenes.
But self-care, while it may be a buzzword, is also a massive part of being successful at writing, at publishing, at any kind of creative pursuit, because if you don't look after yourself, then you're going to end up in burnout and that is hell and harder to get out of. I've not always been someone who did take the breaks I should have. I didn't always set aside time off, and I bought into the idea that you had to earn your days off, that if you didn't meet this deadline, then oh well, just work harder. It's not the way it should be, because that is not sustainable, and if you want this to be your job, whether full time or not, then you have to be able to sustain that level of creativity.
I have been lucky enough that being an author is my full-time job. For transparency I'll be clear it doesn't pay me full-time, but I don't have any other job that I need to be doing to manage. I've also been very lucky in that I have tools at my fingertips that help me manage to create, to keep on top of things, and to also stay on target. But again, even if you aren't on deadline, you still need those breaks!
So why and how does self-care help? I'm gonna break down a few points and ways to give you an idea about why you should be adding it to your routine.
#1 YOU CREATE BETTER WITH REST
Have you ever been really stressed and trying to think up something? I have, and maybe it's just me, but I always find I have my worst ideas while trying to think while stressed and anxious and struggling to put one foot in the front of the other. When I've had some rest, and I've not pushed my body to breaking point, then I find it a whole lot easier to come up with things on the fly. Our brains work better when we're not pushing them to their limits, and because of that, it will help you write and create, if you're able to give your body the downtime you need.
While yes, I know deadlines happen, that doesn't mean that you should skip out on sleeping or recharging however you may do so, because of said deadline. Things will happen that make your working time stressful, been there, done that, but I've also found, like I said, that I do better in those stressed times when I'm not also working on a sleep debt, or having overdone it.
#2 RECHARGING CAN LEAD TO THE BEST IDEAS
You know that a lot of the time creatives will have their best idea about a plot hole or issue while in the shower? There's a reason for that. It's because your body is finally having a break, and is turning the problem over without all the pressure of needing to go go go. So it comes up with an idea, or a way to fix things, and that stress is instantly eased because now you know where to go and what to do, and you also have some idea of how to bring about the outcome you want.
I've always found when that happens that the next time I sit down to work, it all flows so much better because I've disconnected for a time, and my mind has been turning it over without me applying all different kinds of pressure. It's allowed me to sit back and really think about it, which is how I've solved a lot of my plot holes when they've been bugging me for a while.
#3 FUN THINGS CAN LEAD TO NEW IDEAS
I've found that while doing my wheelchair walks, something I do for a variety of reasons, one of which being it gives me a chance to relax, I will have ideas about how to fix things. I've also had ideas about new books, about series, about what to do about this issue I'm having. My point is that switching off can also bring about new book ideas. It can give you a chance to really delve into your subconscious and come out with a whole series of books that you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
Fun things, whether they be self-care, or a day out with the family allow you to relax and switch off, and in doing that, those creative juices get flowing and you're soon able to find this plot and this character and boom, you're off with something brand new!
So there we go, some ways that self-care can help you as a creative. I really have found that it's a big tool for me in getting through the work, and I hope these help you too!
Any questions? Lemme know in the comments!
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