Avoid The Mushy Brain, Leave The Blogging Chair
If you’re the least like me, you have a problem. Well, if you’re like me you’ve got several, but I’ll just focus on one right now, shall we? That way I won’t scare you away from reading my posts here at The Blog Herald (or elsewhere), which is quite the opposite of what I want, see?
Err, yes.
Your problem, and mine, is that you’re sitting in front of the screen for too long periods of time. You need to free some endorphins or whatever by getting out and about, nab some fresh air, or just do something else. Being crammed in the oh so comfy but not very healthy blogging chair all day isn’t a good thing.
Me, I’m having problems with this, leaving the chair that is. It’s very easy to just trod on with the work, and then realize you should’ve grabbed lunch two hours ago. At least, that’s the case if you’re working on your own, which most probloggers are, all alone in an office. In a traditional workplace you’ll find yourself joining the herd to the coffee machine, to lunch, to the water cooler, and then to the coffee machine because water is probably bad for you and certainly doesn’t contain the oh so necessary caffeine needed to survive the last two hours of your workday.
I digress.
Whenever I live as I teach, being taking breaks and leaving the office for a few minutes, I find myself being a lot more productive. Just going for a cup of tea, a glass of water, or whatever around 10 am certainly fuels me to lunch, which I take away from the computer and you should too. Getting back from lunch, working a few hours, and then grab coffee or whatever’s your poison. Make sure you go and brew it yourself, getting away from the computer yet again. Doing this keeps my brain happy, which means I won’t get so upset about how awful Internet Explorer 6 is, or why this or that bug just won’t die, nor have any problems getting onwards in the design mockups I’m bound to work on.
When I’m not following my own advice, I find my brain mushy and tired, lack of oxygen makes me yawn.
Like now. Then again, it did help me to write my weekly post here at The Blog Herald, now did it? Let me tell you, that’s the exception to the rule.
Take a break. Now.
Thord Daniel Hedengren is a designer, writer, and blogger, and also the former editor of The Blog Herald. He used to be a hotshot in the gaming industry in Sweden, but sold everything and went International. Most recently he wrote a book called Smashing WordPress: Beyond the Blog, and does loads of kickass design.
Fresh air? What is this fresh air? Does it have to do with that mysterious bright object in the sky? ;)
The lovely thing about having met my major deadline for the month is that I can eat lunch away from my desk and not feel guilty about it.
In fact, I think I’ll even take a stroll around the mall(!).
Now that the weather is getting warmer (at least in the Bay Area) there is much more incentive to step away from the comfy chair.
This is one of the benefits of being able to set your own time. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been pulling insane 18 hours days…and I’ave finally realized that not taking care of myself can lead to quite nasty burnouts.
So…I had a lovely chat with the husband and have started forcing myself to take off time and return to other activities during the day/night. Brazilian Jui-jitsu, Kendo, becoming one with the iron – it all combines to helping you retain sanity. And that, of course, is a Very Good Thing indeed. :)
Barbara
good artile,I agree you suggestion and save it to
http://www.duyp.net/digg/515789-Avoid_Mushy_Brain.htm
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Anytime you are lifting, whether it is with a machine or free-weights, you need to be careful.