Lesson Four
Preparing for NaNoWriMo
Preparing for NaNoWriMo
In this lesson, you will learn the next two tips to having a successful NaNoWriMo
Please let me know if you have any questions under this thread or email me directly at [email protected].
So, let’s get started.
Tip 6: Plan At Least ONE Spa Hour Every Few Weeks
There is nothing as rejuvenating as doing some extreme self-care by taking a spa hour every few weeks.
This time can help you to relax and replenish your energy and strength for the next day.
Writing every day, and especially writing a lot every day, can really take its toll in terms of reduced energy and fatigue.
Therefore, it is important to do something really nice for yourself by booking a massage, manicure/pedicure or other spa thing. Or, if you are really in the mood for celebrating, you may want to do all three and disappear into the spa for the afternoon!
This is time that is well worth it. You need to replenish your energy in order for you not to burn out.
I have coached so many writers who just can’t keep going past a certain point in NaNo because they feel like they are so tired they can’t make heads or tails out of their story or plot.
So, it is important for you to step back from your manuscript, even if it is for a few hours.
This is why I take one day of rest every week. Sunday is my day of rest. During that day, I don’t write or do anything to do with my writing. I simply read and rest. And I sleep as well—so that I can rest my mind for the next day of writing.
Unless you take the time to do this, you won’t be successful with NaNoWriMo. You will quit somewhere in the middle of the month, and you will really feel awful about yourself. This is not way to end the year. It is far better to have a draft of a book written.
So, take a spa day every few weeks, and take a day of rest every week. This will help you to carry on successfully.
Tip 7: Don’t Forget to Exercise Every Day
There are so many benefits to exercise for writers. One of them is that it reduces the stress that can lead to emotional eating for writers. The exercise doesn’t have to be complicated or continue for very long in order for it to be useful.
Exercise could be as simple as taking a few short walks a day. The amount you exercise is cumulative. So, if you have a pedometer, you may want to snap it on your belt in the morning as you dress for the day, and then see how many steps you take during the day.
One of the best ways to increase the amount of exercise you do is to start slowly. Here is a way to proceed.
1. Determine how many steps you are taking now by putting on a pedometer early in the day for a few days.
2. Then decide to increase your steps by 10 percent. So, for instance, if you regularly take 3,000 steps a day, increase it by 300 steps a day for a few weeks. Then up your step count to 360 for a few weeks. Keep going until you hit what we all need to be healthy, which is 10,000 steps a day.
3. Get up from your desk every hour and do something physical, such as vacuum or clean something. Aim to be standing and away from your desk for no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Set a timer and be sure to get back to your desk right after your break so that you don’t get distracted doing other things that need to be done.
4. Keep engaging in some movement for every hour that you sit at your desk. You may even get some housework and chores done. Or make sure that you do a few stretches or go for a 5-minute walk around the house. You may even want to cut all the veggies for your dinner. This will make things easier later.
5. If you feel the munchies coming on and you are close to another meal or just ate a meal, get up from your desk and do something else. You may want to go out on your balcony and look at your flowers or the trees. Or look outside at the trees through your window. The important point is that you leave your office and do something different to change your focus away from food for 5 to 10 minutes. Most of the time, you won’t want to eat any more and you won’t have the munchies.
6. While away from your desk for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths before you return to your desk. This will help you refocus.
By taking these steps, you will be getting some exercise and avoiding emotional eating in the process. Not only will you be more fit in no time, but you will also feel much more in control of your emotions and unhealthy eating patterns. That is a winning combination for a writer.
That's it for now!
Irene S. Roth
Write every day, and you will be so confident you will never want to miss a day of writing!
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