These days I write for pure enjoyment, however, there was a four-year span in the late-1990s when I was paid to write. During that time, I was fortunate enough to freelance for a few small publications in south-central Arizona. “Fitness Plus” and “Today’s Arizona Woman” were among my main gigs. Being paid to write or paid to do anything, bears the weight of responsibility. I was responsible for following the set guidelines, which included word count, style, and deadlines. And as I most often wrote about “real” people from the greater Phoenix area, I felt the pressure to convey their details accurately, in a creative way. Yes, it was exciting to be given an assignment, but each time I stared at the proverbial blank page, I would get a little panicky.
From my journal: December 8, 1997, Fountain Hills, Arizona
“Three (articles) due next month…lined up interviews for ‘Age Barrier’…Robert’s response to the phone message from K. Solheim, yikes, makes me nervous…”
Rereading this journal entry reminded me that this was when I changed the way I went about writing. Then we still had a landline and voice messages were left for both of us. When Robert relayed that message to me, he was surprised I didn’t know who the caller was. I’m not a golfer, so the name didn’t ring a bell. But anyone who is will most likely know K. or Karsten Solheim was a world-renowned golf club designer who founded Karsten Manufacturing, better known as PING. As it happened, I was not interviewing him, but his son, an ultra-marathon runner who has the same name. Still, I was anxious, very anxious. And I didn’t have just that article to write, but three.
From my journal: January 6, 1998, Fountain Hills, Arizona
“…working hard, have to finish these assignments…cranky, have a headache…need to trust I’ll get them done…”
Sure, I needed to put in the effort to write the articles, and I needed to trust I’d get the work done, but what I also discovered was…I needed a time out. Not one to just “sit around” I got up and moved.
My office then was in a room at the far end of our house. And at times, without even thinking, I’d find myself walking to the kitchen, roaming around the living room, or wandering outside along our wrap around patio, just long enough to return to my desk with an idea or words to continue on. This became a habit and one that has served me well.
I’ve learned a lot about my active time outs since then, and especially why they work. Doing something physical switches our brains from critical to divergent thinking. It increases circulation throughout our bodies. And as a result, it relaxes our nervous systems which leads to transient hypofrontality. Not familiar with this term? It’s just a fancy way of saying “flow” state, which is induced through repetitive motion.
Based on ease and access, my top three choices for entering this state are: walking, cooking, and cleaning. Others may prefer gardening, swimming, or perhaps strumming a guitar. Any movement repeated over and over again, can assist in breaking through mental blocks and barriers.
When we’re involved in physical activity, regions of our brains linked to creativity and associative memory are activated. Rhythmic motion helps quiet our thoughts which allows our subconscious minds to wander and make broader connections. In turn, these new ideas enter into our conscious awareness. And the release of dopamine and endorphins that are triggered through movement, bring about a feel-good neurochemical reaction. This rewards us with a sense of calm and peace.
Changing locations while engaging in repetitive motion can boost creativity even further. Most often I am writing in my craft room, so I can easily head out our front or back door for a walk about, or down the hall to the kitchen to cook, or any area in our house to clean. These changes in scenery provide other bonuses, too. On any given day, walking boosts my step count, cooking (usually) results in tasty snacks or meals, and cleaning provides a tidier and more organized house. Definitely, a win-win!
Almost 30 years ago when I began taking active time outs, my writing took a turn for the better. And even now, whether I am writing a post for my blog, a letter, a poem, or a sentiment for a greeting card, whenever I get stuck for something to say, I know just what to do. Move.
A Journal Journey 