Being a writer is impressive, but it comes with its disadvantages. No matter what type of writer you are, writing as a job can put a lot of strain on your personal well-being. Not getting enough sleep is one such issue.
Writers have so many thoughts going on their head and the constant need to put in on paper that they often tend to overwork. The term 'burnout' is used among creators nowadays to explain the state of mental and physical exhaustion.
If you are a content creator, the constant requirement to put out new content every day, to stay at the top and the continuous competition pushes creators to work all the time.
Let's take into perspective, and if you are a 9 to 5 office worker, your job ends when you come home. You don't always think about your work. During the weekend you relax, you live in the moment, or at least that's how most 9-5 workers go about their days.
When it comes to a writer, though, they are continually thinking about new ideas. Their mind is always occupied by the things they want to write. It's the reason why the most writer may seem absent-minded when all they are doing is thinking about their work.
For writers on a time crunch, the condition is even worse. It can be a book they need to finish; it might be content they need to put out, writer's give up sleep to work night and day to complete the task. Once the job is complete, the cycle beings once again. There is no stop to it. Sleep becomes secondary, and soon, they start feeling the symptoms of burnout.
More often than not, the writer's find it hard to go to sleep. Shutting down their brain to stop thinking about a project they are working is the hardest thing in the world.
A proper sleep routine helps. There are a few techniques you can adopt in your daily life to get more time to sleep and avoid 'burnouts.'
1. Make a schedule
Instead of working all the time and completely exhausting yourself, try to maintain a schedule. See what time of the day works best for you to write in peace. One of the most famous writers of our age 'Murakami' wakes up at four a.m and works for five to six hours straight. I am not saying you need to wake up early, but you need to maintain a schedule, be it in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Assigning time intervals for every task helps to get things done and keep you stress-free.
2. Do not get distracted
In the age of social media, it is straightforward to get distracted. Famous horror writer 'Stephan King' turns off all internet connection in his house, closes his door and then sits down to start writing. Cell phones take a lot of your precious time.
Keep your cell phone away; do not be tempted to look at your social media accounts while you are working. Keep a bottle of water by your side, some food too much on. Do not give yourself any reason to go out of the room for the time you are writing. The only reason you should leave your desk should be to go to the bathroom.
When you invest a reasonable amount of time on writing, you don't feel guilty or stressed while going to sleep.
3. Get good sleep
This is the whole point of the article. To get proper sleep and recharge yourself for a great writing session. If you have maintained the above two points, you have gotten down a lot on the paper. Writing every day gives you a sense of achievement. You won't feel wrong about going to sleep when you finally go to bed.
If you have too many ideas in your head and it's making you hard to relax, a great technique is to keep a notebook by your side. Make bullet points of your ideas, so can sleep without going crazy.
Getting a solid seven hours of sleep every day will make you more creative. A relaxed brain is more likely to form idea than a jumbled up one. You can use essential oils for relaxation before sleeping.
4. Don't ignore your health
Writer's work does not need a lot of physical movement. You mostly stay in one place and write. However, it is scientifically proven that a healthy body is the gateway to a healthy mind. Take some time out of your day to engage in exercise. Invest equal time in cardio and strength exercises. Exercising has shown to induce more profound and more satisfying sleep.
5. Eat healthily
Exercising in itself won't help you to stay healthy; eating a healthy diet would. Avoid carbohydrates if you can. Eat protein and fiber. Protein helps you to stay awake, unlike glucose, which makes you sleepy. Getting proper helps you to remain alert while writing; eating unhealthy can break that cycle.
Vitamins and minerals are important for your mental and physical well being. Try to include supplements in your diet if your food does not fulfill your vitamin and mineral requirements.
One of the things I have learnt after going into a diet is never to starve yourself. There is nothing worse for your creativity than an empty stomach. Eat things that keep you full but does not clog your arteries — Munch on healthy things instead of oily chips or unhealthy snacks. Dried fruits and multigrain biscuits are a great option. There are sleep-inducing foods too that you can try.
6. Know when to take a break
One of the main things about being self-employed is never to push yourself so much that you break. You should know where to draw the line. In our line of work, I have seen people push themselves so much that they become cranky, lose motivation, and give up. Being a writer is not easy, making excuses are.
It's not a writer's block; it's your mind's way of telling you to take a break.
Take a vacation once in a while. Go out for a change. Get your creative juices flowing. Catch up with your old friends, spend time with your family, indulge in your favorite fun activities. When you finally come back to work, you will have a new perspective on everything, and it will make writing fun.
Writing is supposed to be fun if it feels like a chore; it's time you take some measures.
Are you a writer? Tell us about your struggles of being a writer.
Moinuddin