Weekly Writing Boost #7: Let's Have a Rest, Shall We?

But not with shadow comforts

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I though we could all use a sleeping cat image. Photo by Erik-Jan Leusink on Unsplash

“Your soul catches up when you rest.”

So said a wise friend. (My problem being I can’t remember which wise friend. But let’s forget about that, shall we?)

I’m going to add to that sentiment the following:

“Your creativity catches up when you rest.”

Let’s Rest Up

It’s the last day of July. Tomorrow is the first day of August. We’ve got 31 days of summer left. (Yes I know the equinox is not until later in September but I always feel that the end of August is the end of summer.)

And so I say we should marshal ourselves and allow some grace time in for the remainder of the summer. And rest up. Allow ourselves time for our souls and our creativity. Because fall is right around the corner. And with the advent of fall comes much busier times.

And my urging you to rest up may NOT mean what you think it does. Because it does not mean an excuse to:

—Scroll mindlessly

—Surf mindlessly (unless you are on a surfboard on the ocean, which I believe is a mindful activity).

—Binge watch mindlessly

—Or engage in any other shadow comfort.

Shadow Comforts

What, you make ask, is a shadow comfort? It is any activity that you think is going to make you feel better but actually doesn’t. As far as I know the term was coined by Jennifer Loudon, or at least she was who I first heard it from.

It’s a handy term to have in your pocket and remind yourself about. Here’s a wild guess, but I’m going to go out on a limb and just say it: all of the activities I listed above are shadow comforts.

You have fifteen minutes in between zoom meetings. Your brain is a bit fried and your eyes are tired from staring at a screen.

Hallmarks of Shadow Comforts

You have fifteen minutes in between zoom meetings. Your brain is a bit fried and your eyes are tired from staring at a screen. But, really, you only have those few minutes. And it’s an effort to get up and walk around the block or chat with someone or take a moment to indulge in a favorite hobby. And you’re already at the computer. It’s soooooo much easier to click over to the news sites. Or pick up your phone and scroll.

But uh-oh. You almost miss your next meeting because you’ve gone down an unexpected rabbit hole. And your eyes are watering and your head aching. You’re not in optimal shape for the next leg of your work journey.

And this isn’t even delving into the effects on our writing and creativity. Pro tip: it’s not good. It’s deadening and defeating and discouraging.

So here are some handy hallmark that might help you identify shadow comforts.

—They are the path of least resistance

—You can easily lose track of how much time you’ve spent on them

—They make you feel worse, not better. And this could manifest in many ways, such as give you a headache from too much screen time, or taking an emotional hit after looking at all the people taking staged gorgeous vacations on Insta, or reading about the exploits of your ex on Facebook

Intentional Rest

And yes, dog pix are good, too. Photo by vadim kaipov on Unsplash

You have things you love to do, I know it. And so do I. The trick is to remember that before you follow the flow of least resistance and pick up your phone. I am a stitcher and knitter. With a tiny bit of prep, I can always have a project ready and at hand. I can step away from the computer, rest my eyes and take a few minutes to embroider. It’s amazing how refreshing such a brief break can be.

Make a list if need be. Here’s what’s on mine:

—Walk outside, even if its only up and down the driveway

—Water plants—indoors or out

—Embroider/sew

—Knit

—Pull a few weeds

—Chat with a family member

—Pet the cat

—Listen to music for a few minutes

—Put dishes in the dishwasher

—Journal

—Go through your mail

—Organize a drawer (okay, this is not a restful thing for me but it might be for you)

—Stretch

—Do some Qi Gong or Tai Chi moves

You get the idea—and you can add your own.

The Boost

This is an easy one this week, guys.

1. Make a list of intentional rest activities

2. Do them regularly

That’s it! Have a wonderful week.

By the Way, Book Coaching is Available

I can help you with your writing motivation, getting words on the page, getting the book of your heart finish, completing your novel. A couple of my clients have gone on hiatus so I have room for two more writers on my roster. This could take the form of ongoing book coaching, or a manuscript evaluation. If you’re interested, drop a comment. Or reply to this post if it comes into your inbox.

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