Exercise and Writing

May 30, 2014 / Motivation and the Writing Life, Uncategorized / 37 COMMENTS

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraigDCF 1.0

I’ve never been a fan of exercising, although I’m trying to do better.  I’ve read a slew of articles lately about the connection between exercise and creative thought.

One of these articles is this one by Fiona Macrae, a science correspondent at the Daily Mail.  The article is:  “If you’re looking for that big idea, just go for a walk: Study reveals people are up to twice as creative when on their feet.”
The article states:  Dr. Oppezzo, of Santa Clara University in California, did a series of experiments in which people undertook tests of creativity, such as playing word association games, while walking or while sitting at a desk.

In one experiment, the volunteers came up with twice as many clever ideas when walking.

When I’m walking, my mind usually wanders to the current work in progress.  I was about ¾ of a mile away from my house last week when I realized that I had a plot hole involving Myrtle’s cat, Pasha in the current scene I was writing.  I didn’t have my phone on me, so I spent the rest of my walk murmuring, “Pasha the cat” to myself.  It’s a wonder the neighbors haven’t called the men in white coats to come pick me up.

So that’s specific to walking.  But, of course, there are other reasons to exercise besides stimulating creativity.  Writing is a sedentary activity, although there are some who have made the change to standing desks.  Sometimes I’ll write at the kitchen counter, in lieu of a standing desk.  (More about “easing into standing desks” in this article by Thorin Klosowski for Lifehacker.)

Galley Cat ran an article a couple of years ago (written by Jason Boog) called “Don’t Let the Writing Life Kill You.”  The article linked to five free fitness and workout apps for smartphones.

For those of us who are more limited to a desk during the day, WorkAwesome blog posted “Five Desk Exercises for Your Busy Office Life.”  The exercises work, among other things, our lower backs, shoulders, and abdomens.

One of my favorite finds was, again, at the Lifehacker blog.  They linked to an app called the 7 Minute Workout App.  It works just fine on a laptop, too.  The Lifehacker link shows how to properly do the exercises (which I’m sure I wasn’t doing correctly until I watched the video).  My favorite thing about the exercises is that they’re only 30 seconds each.  :)  Although it’s possible I might cheat on a couple of them, just the same.

So, that’s my public service announcement for the month—let’s try to exercise.   Which reminds me of my last public service announcement…back up your work.  If we do both these things as writers, we’ll likely be a lot better off.

Do you have an exercise regimen, or are you kind of all over the place with exercise, like I am?  Have you found that exercise, specifically walking, helps you with your writing?

Image: MorgueFile: Keyseeker

  1. Elizabeth, I think any form of exercise, and especially walking, reduces mental and physical stress and fatigue and allows the practitioner to feel so good as to enable him or her to think much better, think more creatively. I don’t have an exercise regime but I walk and do yoga and meditation. You can do all of these only as long as you enjoy doing them. The moment you see the process as a chore or a burden, you’ll probably feel worse off than you did before. Thanks for this very topical post.

    1. Prashant–A very good point! Reducing mental and physical stress would clear the way for creative thought. I hadn’t thought about it that way. I’ve tried to have a meditation schedule all year (have a reminder on my phone, even), but I’ve only been able to manage it about once a week. I suppose that’s better than not at all!

      And you’re right…I need to make sure that I look at it as something helpful for me. Otherwise, I’ll get resentful about the exercise and that will be counterproductive.

  2. Would have benefited from this good advice a few years ago… when I could walk around and do exercises. Wish I had done more and would suggest do it before you lose it.

    I have Multiple Sclerosis and I’m confined to a wheelchair so have to adapt my restricted exercise regime, but not sure whether anything helps as much as walking. However, getting out in the fresh air is inspirational… like being by the sea yesterday.

    1. Roland–Good advice and perspective…thank you.

      I think you’re right about fresh air and a change of scenery–it’s got to be good for us. I have a tendency to want to stay inside the house too much. I find that getting out really does open some windows in my mind, creatively speaking.

  3. The varidesk is a great product. I’ve used one at work for over a year and it gets full marks for function. It’s worth consideration by all writers.

    My trainer is a powerful motivator: Louis Foxhound. Speaking of whom ….

    1. Jack–Thanks for the recommendation!

      Yes, Chloe Corgi also is a good motivator. :) Only problem is that she’s gotten rather arthritic and looks at me about 1/4 of the way into our way as if to say “are we done here?” So…I have to have a Chloe walk and a Real Walk.

      1. They have great pet strollers available for senior and arthritic dogs. Perhaps you can walk her part of the way and wheel her the rest of the way. This way you both can enjoy the sunshine! :-)

        1. SJ–Awesome! I’ll check that out. She’s always *so excited* about going on the walk at first, and then gets kind of pitiful shortly afterward. That would be a great way for both of us to still get fresh air. :) Thanks.

  4. I’m up and down constantly. so I think I’d like a standing desk.

    Exercise clears the mind. And yes, I’m been walking somewhere and hit and idea, then spent the rest of the walk repeating it over and over so I wouldn’t forget.

    1. Diane–That’s what I’m thinking, too. I have a hard time sitting still.

      I think I just need to remember to wear the shorts with the pocket. That way I’ll have my phone with me and call my home answering machine or text myself or something…

  5. Elizabeth – I read that article, and I’ve actually found it to be quite true in my own life. Now, fortunately, I’m owned by dogs, so I get walking exercise whether I want to or not. ;-) – But I really do find that it gets my creative juices flowing even if I don’t feel it at the time. So does going to the gym. There’s something that just frees the mind to think.

    1. Margot–So, even if you don’t get immediate ideas, you feel that it sets the stage for ideas later? I like that.

      Going to the gym…yes. We have a Y membership that I really should be using. But those machines–I can’t ever seem to use them correctly. I go with my 17 year old and he says, “Mom–you’re doing it wrong again.” He tries to show me and gets the staff to show me. But I can get a million lessons on those weight machines and still be confused. So I do the treadmills over there. No exercise class since the mirrors tend to make me have trouble with reversals. I’m a mess! But the treadmill is a good thing, especially since we’re already heating up into the 90s here in NC and walking outdoors seems less pleasurable.

  6. I agree with the study and also every other poster here. I find some form of exercise very beneficial. While I can’t actually write while walking, I find myself able to work out complex story problems better than simply sitting in front of the computer. I often take a pad and pen with me on my walks to jot down little snippets that cross my mind.

    1. JL–I have no idea how it happens or the science behind it, but I’ve experienced just what you’re talking about. Maybe it’s even the simple fact that we’re not distracted by any media around us?

      Pen and paper is much better than muttering to ourselves as we walk in public. :) I need to put those things along with my walking shoes…

  7. I have found that exercise really helps in terms of my writing but I struggle when to write and when to exercise because I feel best when they both happen in the morning. Walking my labrador a few miles, playing volleyball or soccer with my kids and weight training are some of my favorite things to do. Ideas come to me when I’ve been active. Does anyone else exercise and write in the early morning? Which do you do first?

    1. Austin Mystery–The nice thing is that you’ve incorporated your exercise into fun activities with your children and dog.

      I write before 5 in the morning and exercise in late-morning. But with the weather heating up (and, if you’re in TX, you know what I mean), I’m going to have to rearrange my routine to fit both into early morning. I think I would still have to write first, since I can write and drink coffee at the same time. Exercising and drinking coffee at the same time might be hazardous to…everything around me. :)

  8. I try to fast walk for a half hour or so every day. I make it 3-4 times a week on average. I always feel better on those days. I’m going to check on those 30 second exercises. Thanks.

    1. Carol–You’ve got a real habit, it sounds like! That’s great. Yes, those 30 second exercises make for a nice circuit. And I can do even unpleasant things for 30 seconds at a time.

  9. I love multitasking, so I upload my final draft onto my Kindle, go to the gym, and read it on the elliptical machine. I can highlight and mark up any issues, then fix them later. It makes me feel ridiculously productive.

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  12. Exercising (mainly walking) is my number one way to work things out. When I’m writing a rough draft, or trying to fix a plot issue, I take a walk. It’s amazing how much can be sorted out when we’re away from the laptop.

    I’m going to check out those apps!

  13. Walking is more than exercise to me. It is the essential thing for my sanity, my health and my creativity. Today, while I roamed the shore, I practiced a talk I’m giving at church this coming Sunday. Speaking my heart to trees in particular and beach and sky – all of it is the best thing in my life.

    1. Jan–I’ve gone directly from your blog for a walk before. :) I need to have a Jan Morrison app to remind me to walk each day! You have such an amazing attitude toward it.

  14. Hi Elizabeth,

    Great post. I used to run a lot to think about talks I had to do, papers I was working on, and other things rolling around in my head. I now run with one of my kids and get other joys from that. I have found walking very effective for stress relief and working through challenges and coming up with creative solutions. I have read a number of studies concluding that we are much more creative when we are calm and relaxed, so if we are exercising to help with writing, it should be something that we find enjoyable.

    From a health stand point, getting up periodically to do anything is important. An ideal mix is some weights, some aerobic exercise (incl. Walking, running, etc.), and some flexibility training like yoga, mixed into the week.

    A good workstation setup is very important and here is a great link for that http://www.therehablab.com/ergonomic_computer_workstation_setup.html
    However, you can have the best set up possible, but spending too much time there will still cause problems.

    Hope I didn’t go on too long — it’s my real-life area of expertise.

    Silas

    1. Silas–Thanks for your insights here! I’m learning about this, so it’s very helpful to me to read comments like yours.

      Thanks for the link for the ergonomic workstation. Mine is *alarmingly* unergonomic and now I’ve got some sort of back issue, which is likely related. I’ll rethink it. I believe instead of plopping down on my sofa with my laptop, I need to intersperse the standing desk thing I’ve got set up and maybe also change my writing location. We do have a real desk with a very nice setup…it’s just habit that makes me fall into my old patterns.

  15. I have always been a mental rather than physical creature and age has made that even more the case. Walking the dog is about as active as I get on a regular basis. Although I do try to go on the walker now and again, it’s nowhere near enough.

    So a big thanks for all these tips! :)

    shahwharton.com

  16. Walks are always helpful, but I live in the Armpit of America, where the weather stinks 90% of the time. In the nicer summer days there is gardening and a bike ride around town, but for year-round exercise, nothing beats tai chi. I’m learning a new-to-me form called Tai Chi for Health, and it is gentle and doesn’t require a lot of space, so I can just get up from my chair and do a few moves right here in the office. Very restorative.

    Oh, wanted to add to this discussion, for writers who work in old houses–if the floor isn’t level, your chair might not be level, either. I was having sharp pains in my hip and couldn’t figure out why until I was redecorating my office and sat in my temporarily-relocated office chair. Sure enough, I’ve been putting a lot more weight onto that hip joint for quite some time now. Leveling the floor where my desk needs to go was out of the question, so shimmed one side of the plate that attaches the pedestal base to my office chair, and now my hip is feeling much, much better. Of course, this means walking and tai chi feel better, too, so I’m much more likely to do it.

    1. Meg–Ha! That’s too funny about the stinky weather. :)

      Getting a bit on the hot side in NC to garden in the middle of the day, but if I wear mosquito repellent, I can definitely work in the early morning or late evening. I’ve heard a ]lot about tai chi, but what has kept me from doing it is the “group aspect” of it that’s common here (e.g., my church sponsors a class, the Y has a few classes…) But if I could do it myself at home? That sounds great. I’ll look up Tai Chi for Health.

      Good point about old houses! Ours isn’t, but I grew up in some with very warped wooden floors. I’ve got some sort of a disc issue in my back going on (sigh) and I’m sure that I need to adopt some more ergonomic approaches to my workspace (as Silas brought up, below). Your insight on the floor and chair (and for men–are you sitting on your wallet?) is a very good one.

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  19. Hi Elizabeth – walking is the therapy most therapists recommend .. I’m meeting a friend today and she collapsed with nervous stress … she’s now walking a lot .. and I need to do that .. which is now being added to the daily routine .. cheers Hilary

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