People who think that writing is not a manual job have not done any. It’s true that you don’t use your legs or cardiovascular system in the same way that you would in some occupations, but the strain on your eyes, neck, back, and wrists more than makes up for it. Headaches, chronic fatigue, and carpal tunnel pain are just a few of the physical occupational hazards writers and other workers who write a lot face. As a professional freelance writer, I’ve become more familiar with this writing-related stuff than I’d like to. To help others in a similar situation, here are seven ways I’ve found to help reduce stress and fatigue while writing.
1. Create a comfortable workspace
First, create a comfortable workspace. Your workspace includes your desk, your screen, your keyboard and other input devices, such as a mouse or digital pen, and your chair. Discomfort, tension, fatigue, and pain can result from placing any of these in awkward positions.
Position everything so that you can sit upright with the screen at eye level, your hands comfortably positioned, your back and hips comfortably supported, and your feet comfortably flat on the floor. Adjust the height, lateral positioning, and distance of items in your workspace to achieve this.
Avoid positioning the screen so that you have to tilt your head or crane your neck to see it. Keep your keyboard and other input devices at a height where you can comfortably rest your hands on them instead of flexing your wrists and fingers upwards when you type or click. Keep your input devices at a distance where you don’t have to extend your elbows too far to use them. Adjust the height and position of your chair to comply with these principles.
2. Sit comfortably
Creating a comfortable workspace is a step toward sitting comfortably, which is another key to avoiding fatigue and strain when typing. Good posture will also help you sit comfortably. Following a few important posture principles will provide you with solid structural support, minimizing strain and maximizing comfort.
When you sit down to write, keep your head up so that the center of the screen’s viewing area is at eye level. Keep your neck and spine straight by adjusting your shoulders so they align vertically over your hips. Let your feet rest flat on the floor or a support surface.
Avoid posture problems by controlling the positions of your head, neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. Do not lean forward with your neck or trunk. Don’t drop your head. Don’t hunch your shoulders. Do not push your hips in front of your upper body. Don’t let your feet hang behind you or stretch them out in front of your body.
3. Warm up
Warming up before writing will help you avoid fatigue and strain from repetitive movements. This is especially important if you tend to experience a stiff wrist when typing, but it’s a good practice in general to prevent stiffness and increase energy.
Spend a few minutes warming up your eyes, neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, and fingers. Take at least 10 to 30 seconds for each of these body parts, moving in different directions to stretch the muscles and stimulate circulation.
Here is a quick warm-up routine with chair exercises that you can adapt to your needs:
- Open your mouth and eyes wide as if you were going to yawn, then gently close them, clicking your teeth together slightly. Repeat 10 to 30 times.
- Loosen your neck and shoulders by spinning your arms in circles, stretching them up and forward as if you were gripping a large ball or a pair of oars, then pulling your arms down and back to complete the circle. Repeat 10 to 30 times. (If you are in an environment or physical condition that does not allow you to make large circles like this, you can make smaller circles by placing your hands on your hips, with the backs of your wrists at your sides as if you were making a pair of wings. of a bird, and simply moving the shoulders.)
- Push your hands out in front of you as you flex your wrists back and extend your elbows, as if pushing something, then slowly squeeze your fingers together as you pull back, imagining digging your fingers into something warm and soft. Repeat 10 to 30 times.
I’ve found that warming up like this before writing makes a big difference in whether or not I feel stiff.
4. Work in short bursts
Sitting and typing for too long at once will strain your eyes and body, leading to fatigue and reduced productivity. You’ll have more energy and write more if you work in short bursts instead of typing non-stop marathons. For peak performance, 30 to 45 minutes is all you should do before taking a short break.
5. Pause to blink and yawn
Whether you’re writing or taking a break, you should pause periodically to blink and yawn. Staring at a screen and focusing too long strains the eye muscles and can lead to headaches and jaw and neck tension. You can alleviate this by remembering to pause periodically to blink and yawn.
6. Stop to stretch
During breaks, doing a short stretching routine will help relax stiffness and recharge your energy. Just walking and moving your arms will help. You can also repeat your warm-up routine.
7. Use alternative input devices
One last way to reduce typing fatigue and pain is to use alternative input devices to reduce typing strain. I prefer to write my schematics with a pen in a notebook before sitting in front of a computer. Other ways to avoid typing are to use a digital smartpen, which can convert your written words to digital text while recording your voice, or text-to-speech software like Dragon NaturallySpeaking, which will record your voice and translate it into text. You can even record yourself and then hire a transcriptionist to write it down.
Here are some of the most important strategies you can use to reduce the physical stress and tension that comes with writing. Embracing these tips will make typing a more comfortable experience and give you more energy to get more done.
