I now use a standing desk in my writing business. After researching the dangers of sitting for hours (over six hours increases your risk of, um…death), and looking into the options that are out there today for standing desks, I convinced myself I needed to make a change. I didn’tContinue Reading
I’ve been a health writer for over 17 years, and during that time I’ve learned quite a bit about natural oils and how beneficial they are. There’s a reason we’re seeing more and more of them in skin care products these days—the skin loves them! Even those who have troubleContinue Reading
We’re a nation who loves to eat. Not only eat, but snack, graze, piece, munch, drink, savor, and slurp. And a lot of that is done while we’re writing. We don’t think about how it affects our tummies…until it does. Then we complain. Stupid stomach! Who has time for bloating,Continue Reading
Time off, or downtime, encourages creativity. A number of studies have shown it to be true. One published in 2014, for example, reported that a vacation could increase creativity by boosting cognitive flexibility when employees returned to work. Other studies have reported that catching up on sleep, getting “away fromContinue Reading
If you’re working in a creative career, you know the drill— everything relies on your brain. I grew up on a ten-acre ranch, and when I get the chance to go back home for a few weeks, I’m always amazed at how easy it is to get things done evenContinue Reading
Writers and exercise: unfortunately, they don’t often go together. You may even hate it. When you think about getting on the treadmill, going to the gym, heading out in your running shorts, or signing up for a zumba class, you may break out in a cold sweat. It doesn’t matter.Continue Reading
How about an exercise that stretches your sore muscles, centers your scattered thoughts, and reduces your stress? An exercise you can do in the privacy of your own home, whenever you need to—even in between projects? An exercise that not only improves your physical health, but your mental health asContinue Reading
by Elizabeth Haltom I love that Colleen’s website is titled Writing and Wellness, because those are my two favorite things in life. The latter I practice so that I can be a fully functional human. The former I practice because it’s just what I do. But there are times whenContinue Reading
You know green spaces are healthy for you. But do writing and gardening go together? It depends on who you ask. George R. R. Martin famously said, “I think there are two types of writers, the architects and the gardeners…. And I’m much more a gardener than an architect.” HeContinue Reading
By Ben Allen J.K. Rowling once described her experience with depression in an interview with The Times: “Depression is the most unpleasant thing I have ever experienced…It is that absence of being able to envisage that you will ever be cheerful again. The absence of hope. That very deadened feeling, whichContinue Reading
If you’re a full-time writer—or even a part-time writer working at a desk for your day job—you know it’s true. We’re at risk for weight gain. It’s all that sitting. Plus we’re likely to eat the wrong things when we get hungry. We don’t want to leave our chairs, butContinue Reading
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a doctor. It’s not just the fact that some are more experienced or efficient than others. It’s that a good relationship with your doctor is important to your health, and let’s face it: we simply get along better with someContinue Reading