• Being “Rhythmic” As a Writer and Manager

    I love to follow Christina Katz at Prosperous Writer. Today she asked a question that was particularly applicable to GardenWall Publications, and to me, personally. Does being rhythmic help you as a writer?

    I know, I talk about fitness a lot. I’m somewhat obsessed. I love being strong and thin and healthy. I joined this incredible workout group that meets at 530 in the morning OR 530 in the evening. I originally joined the evening group, hoping to go with my personal circadian rhythms. I’ve always fancied myself a night person. The group is INCREDIBLE, but, with summer here and kids home, the evening class no longer worked out for me.

    So I took the plunge and began working out at 530 in the morning. Every weekday morning. For a month! Those who know me realize how absolutely nutty this is. Yet, it’s working.

    I love giving me “me time.” I like meeting my own needs before the rest of the house wakes up. I like getting that jump on the day. It’s so surprising to me, but it just works.

    Today was the first day (although I tried out the morning class a couple times). After the class, I came home and worked for a while before the kids woke up. I got a jump on the day and my work output today nearly doubled. I’m happy.

    My point is that perhaps writers, managers and entrepreneurs should try to shake up their “rhythm” sometimes. People change. Obligations change. And change is sometimes great! It worked for me.

2 Responsesso far.

  1. Paul Novak says:

    First I just want to say that I found your postings on About.com and have to say I am surprised I have not run across your work before. I’ve only been at freelancing for a short time but I am endlessly researching and learning and am glad to have found your very interesting writing on the subject. I’m really surprised at how few comments you have given how much info you put out.

    At any rate, I’m a very fitness oriented person myself. My former profession was very labor intensive and running my own business kept me in good shape.

    Since beginning a freeland career, I have gone from extremely active to sitting in one place for hours on end. Talk about a jarring change in lifestyle. As a result, I who used to have to eat everything I could get my hands on just to keep a good weight, who used to lose 5 pounds in a day easy, am now finding myself topping the scales at my max wieght easily.

    You cannot allow yourself to become so enmeshed in your writing that you neglect yourself. Breaking away from the office chair and getting into the gym not only helps to keep you fit, but I have found that the increased energy levels and stress reduction from strenuous excercise have the added benefit of putting me in a much more ambitious and energetic frame of writing mind.