Author and wellness mentor Francesca Hepton is a champion for health, well-being and a catalyst for personal growth. Her services include books, journals, and courses predominantly in the field of health, well-being, stress reduction, and life-style choices, as well as
workshops with associated course material in the form of manuals, storybooks, training manuals, videos, audios, and mentoring services.
Her How to… series of self-help books can be found here: Wellness and Writing.
Because You'll Burn Out
Now don’t get me wrong, I wobble along the fine line of sanity/insanity just like the rest of you creative geniuses. Monotony and consistency churn out grey content on my page and a yawn across my reader’s face, whereas unintentionally sliding into the shadows of sleep deprivation, overwhelm and fasting has always yielded some of my best work. That said, it is not sustainable. Nor would our text be very accurate or syntaxicombically correct if we were to follow this wayward and unregulated route all the time.
That is why I am here to introduce you to the 4 doctors—not to be confused with the Dread Doctors. I use them when I realise I am straying onto precarious ground. They can help haul my lazy, caffeinated or procrastinating ass back onto the path of solid writing to the destination of a finished manuscript. So, without further ado:
Dr HAPPY
First, ask yourself WHAT
- makes you happy?
- makes you feel good?
- gives you a sense of purpose?
- are you passionate about?
- would be your chosen career?
Dr Happy is always there to lead us to a life that fulfills our individual wants and needs. Furthermore, he can advise us if we are leading a life that does not maintain our core values and if this appears to be the case then we feel in conflict with ourselves.
10 Tips on how to be happy:
Dr DIET
Dr QUIET
This wellness doctor is the chief physician making it the most important of the 4 Doctors. He is responsible for energy management and recovery. One of the most common issues with Dr Quiet is sleep. People simply aren’t getting enough sleep. You can make some big improvements in your health if you get adequate amounts of sleep.
Meditation can also be very beneficial: https://wellnessandwriting.com/benefits-of-meditation/
Approx. 8 hours of sleep per night is recommended. Timing is also crucial because our body’s circadian rhythms are related to the rising and falling off the sun. 10:00pm is an optimal time to go to sleep, as the time from 10pm – 2am is the stage in our sleep of physical repair and 2 am – 4 am is dedicated to cognitive and mental repair.
Dr MOVEMENT
Do you work out? Or do you work in? “Working in” is the body accumulating energy through activities such as yoga, tai chi, stretching, massage etc. “Working out” is the body expending energy, such as cycling, lifting weights, running, or playing sports.
Often people are not getting enough of the above 3 wellness doctors and as a result they do not have the energy to work out. This is because their body is short of resources. However, when the 3 Wellness Doctors mentioned above are balanced, we can begin to exercise in a way where the body receives a positive response from exercise. Without the right amount of movement, we suffer not only physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. For more info visit:
What Happens if You Don't Visit the 4 Doctors
This article just provides an overview. If you can tick the boxes for the bare minimum in our 4 doctors’ checklists then you’re on your way to a healthy output of writing, you will be able to sustain for the long term. If you are not well physically or mentally or even emotionally, this will block your creative flow—and probably your arteries. Some tell-tale signs in your performance as a writer include:
- you procrastinate because you’re feeling insecure
- you can’t focus because you’re tired
- you are lethargic because you don’t have energy
- you can’t sit because you’re in pain
If you look after yourself, the words will come flowing. Lift your spirits, eat well, be sure to relax and find time to move. Shortcuts like alcohol and all-night writing binges may work sometimes, but not all the time. And at what cost to your health? Having a healthy body, a healthy mind, makes for an unstoppable writer. If it’s a change you need or inspiration, you could give the extreme behaviour a miss and simply go for a change of scenery or doing something you don’t normally do. But more on that next time. For now, remember to find your smile, ditch the junk food, find some quiet time and keep moving.
Final Words
If we’re not careful, writing can be one of the most destructive jobs to our body. It’s not the sudden destruction of a roofer having an accident, but rather the gradual, erosion of the temple by constant weather. We often don’t notice until it’s too late. It’s not necessarily difficult to halt, or even reverse, the effects but it requires constant attention and maintenance, and listening to the four wellness doctors.
What is your experience with the four doctors? Do you have back pain from writing too long in your favourite chair? Do you feel sluggish from the downside of to much caffeine or snacking? Do you get enough exercise? Why not share your thoughts on our FaceBook page, the Utility Fog Forum.