5 Easy Ways for Writers to Relax

I’m a pretty high-strung guy. I get stressed out easy and if my little routines get out of whack, I think the world is coming to an end. I also worry about things that I probably don’t need to worry about. But that’s just me.

Regardless if you’re high-strung or not, chances are that if you’re a writer, then there are times when you get stressed out. Deadlines are approaching too fast. The creativity isn’t flowing like it used to. You’re laptop fell down the stairs and you lost that 1000-page novel you’ve been slaving over for the last five years (and you didn’t even back your work up).

Writers face a lot of stress, which can start to hurt your writing if you’re not careful. With this in mind, I thought I’d write a post about easy ways a writer can relax. None of these methods take a lot of time or cost money you don’t have. Actually, these relaxation methods can be done just about anywhere!

1. Breathing: When was the last time you thought about your breathing? Try to think about how you’re breathing throughout the day, and chances are you will catch yourself taking short, shallow breaths. When you find yourself doing this, take a minute and start taking deep, slow breaths. Even a few of these can really make a difference. At the very least, it will force you to slow down and smell the metaphorical roses.

2. Breathing Exercise: When I’m trying to fall asleep at night (usually about the time my mind is buzzing with ideas), I find it helpful to do this simple breathing exercise: Take in a slow and deep breath while silently counting to four. Then, hold that breath and count to four again. Finally, release the breath in a steady stream of air while also counting to four. Why count to four? I don’t know. But it works well. I think the counting helps you to control your breathing a little better and can be very hypnotic. Note that you don’t have to count to four, any number of seconds you are comfortable with will work.

3. Drink a lot of water: My doctor tells me during every visit to drink plenty of water because everything the body does requires water! She says that most people are walking around dehydrated and don’t even know it. When I start increasing my water intake, I can always tell a difference. I have more energy. I have less stomach problems (my stomach has been a constant bother my entire life). And I generally just feel good after drinking a tall, cool glass of water. Just remember, however, that by the time you actually feel thirsty, it’s too late, you’re already dehydrated!

4. Naps can work wonders! It’s too bad not everyone has time for a good solid nap in the middle of the day. I’m forced to enjoy naps on weekends only, since I work during the week and my boss would hate it if I curled up under my desk for a mid-afternoon snooze. But naps are great! They make you feel refreshed and give you a burst of energy late in the day when people tend to need it the most. Best of all, however, naps are relaxing. I do some of my best writing after taking a nap.

5. Listen to music: Music has an amazing ability to not only relax, but also inspire. So it’s like getting two for the price of one. Find a comfortable spot, fire up your iPod (or other inferior MP3 player) and let yourself be carried away. Just be sure the music is relaxing for you. I don’t think listening to heavy death metal will take you away to that dreamy world that writers like so much. But maybe it does for you, everyone is different.

It’s also important for you to know what stresses you out, so you can be preemptive in mitigating the effects of these stressors. But there’s no substitute for taking some time to just relax. Even if you make a living writing full-time, creativity can be a huge drain on you both physically and emotionally. You need to let those creative juices replenish themselves so you can write that next blog post, novel, story or whatever it may be.

How do you relax when you’re not writing? Leave a comment below and share your own relaxation methods!

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