J. M. Levinton

Writing, Editing, Exercise—Are You Doing It?

• June 27, 2016
• Blog
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The other day I peeled wallpaper off my bathroom walls. (The harder part of removing the backing and glue will be done by someone with the right tools. I’m not crazy.)

I was surprised at how much fun I found it, pulling the strips from the walls and ceiling. My arms stretched and flexed in ways that washing dishes or sweeping the floor don’t require. And then I sat down and went back to looking over my final proof pages with renewed interest.

Are you exercising? It doesn’t need to be something you must carve out time for. Cleaning house, walking to places instead of taking a car or bus, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator—all physical activities get the body revved. That’s not to say that getting physical for the sake of getting physical is something to be ignored. I love dancing and wouldn’t dream of forgoing it just because it isn’t practical. But when time is a factor and deadlines loom, even a few minutes of physical activity can increase productivity.

It was that little boost that made it easier to work on the proofs. And it was like a new groove formed in my brain—I felt inspired with new ideas and possibilities for book two. Definitely a win-win.

So, what are you doing? What activities spur you on and help your writing? How do you make time for physical activity? I’d love to hear what you do.