by Tari Faris, @FarisTari

You may be wondering about why I am talking about self-care on a blog about writing. Writing can be hard on your body, mind and soul, and we, as writers, need to learn to pour in if we have any hope of pouring out. In fact, after being on this journey of writing for over ten years, I have come to see self-care as a necessity, not a luxury, if I want to keep writing.

When I am speaking of self-care, it is important to establish I am not speaking of escapes, indulgences like treats, or pleasure seeking. There is nothing wrong with such things in the right time or place, but self-care isn’t kick back and retreat time. Self-care is active, work, and it is intentional.

There are many aspects of self-care for an author but this year, I am going to focus on these five:

• Physical Self-care
• Emotional Self-care
• Psychological Self-care
• Spiritual Self-care
• Professional Self-care

I am starting with physical self-care because that is where the journey really began for me about a year and a half ago. I seemed to be going from illness to illness. When I went to see someone about my back pain, he said I moved like an “old lady.” I may not be in my thirties anymore, but I wasn’t ready to hear that.

I dove into making some changes only to discover how much I was lacking in self-care. Not just physically but in every area. But since I was struggling physically, that is where I started.

Physical Self-care focuses on three things: water, nutrition, and movement.

Water

Did you know that drinking less that sixteen ounces of water a day is harder on your heart than smoking? I was shocked the first time I read that. I usually get more that sixteen but not as much as recommended. That means not only am I thirsty, but I am doing long-term damage to my body.

Medical professionals recommend half your body weight in ounces. So, if you weigh two hundred pounds, then you should aim for a minimum of one hundred ounces of water a day. (I know we are writers, but this is easy math)

When we get in the groove we don’t want to stop and drink. But remember—we are talking long-term damage. That means fewer books you can write in the long run because you refuse to pause now for a few seconds and drink.

Nutrition

I am not going to give you a fancy diet plan to follow. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. But one thing almost all nutritionists agree on is eat more vegetables and less sugar. Again, the long-term benefit of vegetables and long-term problems of too much sugar are staggering. I am not going to lay them all out here (you can google it) but taking the time to eat well and fuel your body will help your writing in the long run.

Movement

An analysis of thirteen studies of sitting time and activity levels found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risk of dying posed by obesity and smoking. This included people who went to the gym at morning and at night. We need regular movement. Flexibility and mobility have been coined as the fountain of youth. I may not want to live forever, but I do want to live the full life God has for me.

How do you make this happen as a writer? After all, writing is sitting, right?

Some people dictate. I have a friend who writes while walking on the treadmill. But for those of us who enjoy the chair, consider this option—work 55, then move 5. In five minutes, you can get the mail, refill your water, unload the dishwasher, wipe down the bathroom sinks, talk to your kids, play with your dog, etc. The possibilities are endless. Set a timer and reward your 55 minutes of hard work with five minutes of movement.

Some fear it will disrupt their writing flow. But our brains are amazing organs. Have you ever heard of Pavlov? You can train our brain to pause and move then just right back to it. It might take a few weeks to get in the groove, but the long-term benefits are worth creating healthy habits now.

This week, take time for some self-care. Move, drink, and fill your body with fuel that will take you far.

See you in March when I talk about Emotional Self-care.

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Since You’ve Been Gone

Leah Williams is back in the quaint town of Heritage, Michigan, and ready to try again to make her business a success. But blank slates are hard to come by, and a piece of her past is waiting for her there. Heir to the Heritage Fruits company, Jonathan Kensington is the guy who not only made Leah’s past difficult, he also seems determined to complicate her present as well.

Jon is trying to prove to the Heritage Fruits board that he, not his manipulative uncle, should be running the business. The board insists Jon find a new owner for the building that will house Leah’s business. To avoid forcing a buyout of Leah’s part of the building, Jon strikes a compromise with Leah, and the two go into business together. With her vision and his know-how, it might work. And Leah might realize he’s loved her since high school. If only he didn’t keep on shooting himself in the foot by boxing her out of important decisions.

Sparks fly in this romantic story of two people who must learn to trust both each other and the one who called them to this journey.

Available now for preorder! And visit linktr.ee/tarifaris to sign up for preorder rewards!

Tari Faris has been writing fiction for fifteen years but has been creating fiction in her head as long as she can remember. She is represented by Wendy Lawton at Books & Such Literary Management and is a member of ACFW and My Book Therapy. She was the 2017 Genesis winner, 2016 Genesis finalist, and 2014 Genesis finalist. In addition to her writing, she also works for My Book Therapy as a special project manager and writes for LearnHowToWriteANovel.com . When she is not writing or working, she spends time with her amazing husband and kids. In her free time, she loves coffee, rockhounding with her husband and kids, and distracting herself from housework. You can connect with her at www.tarifaris.com