If you’ve read some of my other articles, it might be possible to think that I am not aware of an author’s need for physical comfort. Your comfort at your workstation, or office. Don’t make this mistake, I do stress using your time efficiently. Using “waste” time. Using “down” time. Using “dead” time. Writer’s do not need any additional excuses to “kill” any additional time. We are already too, too efficient at that “skill”. I think all of us can agree to that. After the first time you put in a full eight hour workday at the keyboard, you will have a new appreciation for the need for physical comfort. And, the need to take care of yourself. Especially, and particularly, taking needed and appropriate breaks. Breaks can, however, easily become a monster. A monster that grows to eat all of New York. And then the monster multiplies like tribbles. Growing and growing, multiplying exponentially until the monsters blend together to become a long, permanent vacation from writing. Just carry a stick with you to beat the monsters, or anyone else that keeps you from your work, back into hiding in the woods. Keep your breaks short and manageable. That includes the absolutely necessary mental breaks to keep your brain creative. Change your location. Get off your fundament. Get off the chair, and go do something else. Attend to something else. Change your focus. Watch a half-hour of TV news. Watch half a DVD. Get on your treadmill for those few minutes. Go for a walk in the park, if that is safe to do in your neighborhood. If it isn’t, move. Don’t forget to eat properly. A starved brain dos not create well. Keep yourself hydrated, even if that means frequent trips to the loo. If your “office” is some distance from the loo, you will get plenty of exercise. The trips will be good for your legs, and you will work those large muscle groups in your legs to help you avoid varicose veins. A desiccated brain does not work well. Varicose veins don’t look good on you. Walking is better than having to wear long pants, or enduring surgery. Returning to the fundamentals, specifically your particular personal fundament, pay attention to your work station chair. That is your base. That thing you park your fundament upon while you are at your keyboard. You need a study one. Both chair and fundament. You need both to be comfortable. That might mean an expensive chair, but you may luck out. Time spent looking for the proper chair is time well invested in your future career. Be aware of ergonomics. Ergonomic chairs may be just the ticket for your painful fundament, aching back , or painful legs. Note: fundamentals can be “fun”. Although, as my fundament has been in my chair for the last six hours, as I write this, I’m starting to reach fundamental “burnout”. Check out, that means try, the “bent” and “twisted” keyboards. Don’t wait until you have no choice but to try them because the pain of hands or wrists force the search and trial. Don’t wait until you have abused your body into a required necessity. Get your body comfortable first, so that your body does not force you to pay attention to aches and pains. The advent of wireless technology is changing things. Look into what is available. Something may fit you particular needs as a writer. Investigate the advantages to you. Check your lighting. There is no excuse for straining your eyes. Get your eyes checked every year, at a minimum. Get the correct glasses you need. Adjust the light level of your monitor. Yes, you can. Read your monitor’s manual. If you can not find it, try playing around with your monitor switches. Dimmer will reduce the number and severity of headaches, and you will not be squinting into the sun all the time. Squinting makes wrinkles. Do your original work in a large font size. Font (print) size on screen is important to ease of reading. You can change it to make your words easier to read. As I am now typing, I’m working in a size 24 point font. This is the rough draft stage. When I’m through creating and typing, it can easily be changed. When I’m finished editing, two clicks and two drags and it returns to “normal” size. Might there be some adjusting to do? Probably. So? It takes much longer to create and write an article than to “adjust” it. Which one is easier on my eyes? Which one would be easier on your eyes? Your computer has this ability to help you. Why not let it do so? And, try different fonts for your original work. Some fonts are just plain easier on the eyes than others. Fonts can be easily globally changed with a click or two. Use the power of your computer to help you do your work. Why do you accept the “one size fits all’ philosophy that was handed you? Your work (writing) is the most important work in our civilization: communication. Make your work space equipment work for you.
(c) Copyright 2006: George Wallace recently published a book on religion which lashes out at nearly all of the comfortable ideas about God, the trappings of organized religion, and the priesthood. His pithy comments and suggestions for a return to a God-centered personal religion will interest everyone. This article may be freely reprinted so long as all copyright attributions, and the full content of this resource box are included. www.OhGodIsThatYou.com
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