By African American Books Writer Denise Turney

Busy freelance writers and novelists can stay healthy, even while juggling hectic schedules. Admittedly, it’s going to take focus and commitment, but it can be done. By focusing on good health, these creatives will have more energy to produce better writing.

Good Physical Health Challenges for Freelance Writers and Novelists

After all, good physical health leads to improved emotional and mental health. It’s also linked to better mental clarity, energy, motivation, inspiration and creativity. Additionally, writers might enjoy more patience and find themselves becoming better, more flexible, communicators.

Benefits aside, the path to maintaining good physical fitness can present challenges. Furthermore, challenges associated with maintaining good health may be numerous for writers. To begin, there is stress associated with meeting tight deadlines, nailing feature interviews and polishing work on short notice.

Doesn’t matter if writers are knocking out web content writing jobs from home, remote freelance technical writing on the road or content marketing writing at an office. The temptation to keep plugging away in effort to get “caught up” or to “get ahead” with writing projects is stressful.

Stay Healthy Completing Online Writing Jobs From Home

I learned this lesson the hard way while I freelanced full-time during the Great Recession. As fast as I wrote, before I knew it, I had slipped into the habit of spending 12 to 16 hours a day zoning in on remote writing jobs. I mean, I didn’t take a day off. Instead, I worked long hours seven days a week. If you’re like me, you may not fully realize that you are actually working because you’re writing from home. Fact is, you’re working even if the television is on, or you’ve got the radio turned to your favorite station.

Also, not having to commute to work could deceive you into thinking that your work schedule is somehow easier than it would be if you drove into an office. Slip into these habits and before you know it, you might start to feel stressed. Even more, you might start to burn out. And, burn out can sneak up on you.

Fortunately, there are methods to steering clear of these challenges. For starters, set clear start and end times when you will focus on writing jobs. As an example, you might complete freelance writing projects from 8am until 5pm, Monday through Friday. Instead of working seven days a week, you might only write two to three hours on Saturday and none on Sunday or vice versa.

How About Superfoods, Probiotics and Health Products

As a hidden gem, eating superfoods like green leafy vegetables, papaya and guava are other ways freelance writers and novelists can stay healthy. Probiotics (I love Kombucha beverages!) could support digestion, soothing writers’ stomachs as they make healthy food choices. This single choice could help writers avoid stomach pain or heartburn.

Here are more ways freelance writers and novelists can stay healthy, even with demanding schedules. To get the most out of these tips, consider adding three or more of the tips to your daily routine.

• Eat a breakfast of green leafy vegetables, superfoods like fruit and/or eggs
• Try healthy shakes for lunch
• Drink plenty of water whether you’re looking to maintain your weight or seeking healthy living weight loss results
• Practice safety when using physical fitness equipment
• Get up from your computer or laptop once an hour. Doing so could relieve stress and promote healthy living weight loss

Check Out These Easy Ways Freelancers and Novelists Can Stay Healthy

• At least once a day, get outdoors for a walk, run or swim (this is such a benefit!)
• Connect with family and friends. Don’t fall into the trap of writing to the point that you isolate yourself.
• Take a lunch break. During lunch break, enjoy healthy shakes, salads and other health products rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Admit when you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Again, step away. Take breaks.
• Build vacation time into your schedule, and don’t work while you’re on vacation.
• Stop thinking about work when your workday ends. Otherwise, you may never fully leave the job.
• Ask for help when you feel you’d benefit from assistance.

Just as writing stellar novels, technical guides, e-books and marketing content takes effort, maintaining overall good mental and physical health as a freelance writer and novelist takes work too. Therefore, commit to making rest, healthy eating and clear boundaries part of your daily routine. In a few months, you may be very glad that you did.

Commitment to Good Health

Writing from home might look like light work, but it’s not. There are client intake meetings, email marketing campaigns, web page copy, blog articles, press releases and business e-books to tackle. And that’s just the start. Depending on your writing range, you might also write technical guides, annual reports, product descriptions and video, radio or television scripts.

Don’t fool yourself. Despite what you may think, you’re working hard. That’s why finding healthy snacks, taking effective joint supplements and adding a garlic supplement to your diet can be beneficial. Other choices you could make to support your mental, emotional and physical health include choosing healthy shakes over high calorie, low energy foods and beverages.

It’s not always easy. In fact, it may take focus, effort and commitment. But it’s worth it. Regular exercise, superfoods, a garlic supplement and other organic, non-GMO health products could help keep your cortisol levels down, preventing stiffness and joint pain.

The right food and exercise choices could also keep you from experiencing sugar highs and lows. The only downside may be around drinking lots of fresh water. Drink a lot of water and you might have to take more bathroom breaks. But, then again, those breaks could be just what you need to step away from writing projects long enough to avoid burn out.