Writing, besides being a very quiet, sometimes, lonely career, is also very sedentary.
And that is not the best thing for anyone’s healthy! The last thing I want is to have a
New York Times bestseller, but be in such ill health, I can’t enjoy my success!
Besides my writing, which puts me in front of the computer for several hours, I also work a job that involves lots of spreadsheets, remote customer support and design (aka. more time in front of the computer!)

Being a self-proclaimed active person, I sometimes thought I would go crazy with all that sitting!
So, here are a few things I have come up with that have helped me stay healthy and active!

• Work in spurts. I like to set a timer for a half hour at a time so that I can remind myself to get up and stretch. (Though I have been know to ignore the timer if I am in the middle of writing a good scene!)
• Practice proper posture. I know. It’s so easy to slouch when you are sitting at a desk for hours on end. Or turn yourself into a pretzel trying to stay comfortable. (And this is coming from someone who finally just gave up and wrote the entire first draft of her novel sitting on her bed!) Having a good desk chair helps. Every once in a while stop and readjust your seat and make sure you are sitting up straight.
• Save your eyesight. Your eyes are one of the best assets you have and they can get really tired staring at a computer screen for long periods of time. Just like with proper posture, taking a minute to close your eyes or glance away from the screen can save you a headache at the end of the day. Looking out the window at something in the distance helps to relax your eyes too.
• Exercise and stretch! Even just a short 10 min stretch or a 20 minute walk is a great discipline to start practicing every day. Having a dog or a pet that wants outside is a perfect help.  😉
• Get some sunshine and fresh air everyday. Not only is it good for you, it helps clear your mind of the cobwebs of work or trying to figure out where that plot twist will go!
• Take your vitamins. And drink water. And eat healthy. Yeah, all that stuff mom taught you is true. My favorite remedy to stop a cold in its tracks is elderberry syrup.

So, how about you? Do you have any tips for staying healthy in the winter whether you are a writer or not?