Screenwriting : Sitting down for long periods of time by Sebastian Tohouri

Sebastian Tohouri

Sitting down for long periods of time

Just a reminder to everyone in the writing community to go out for walks and get your steps up! Writing is a very stationary sport whether you are: learning the craft through webinars, writing your dream screenplay, or spending time on networking on zoom.

Problems include but are not limited to:

- Poor posture

- weight gain

- Circulatory problems

These problems can then increase health risks such as diabetes and cardiac problems. lack of sunlight can lead to depression too.

Solutions

- Change the chair you sit on to improve your posture

- Invest in a gym membership

- Take breaks in your writing to walk around and get some of that good sun

Sources of information:

https://aurorajalexander.wordpress.com/2019/02/28/writers-illness-what-s...

https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/do-these-exercises-if-you-sit-at-a-d...

Nothing is more important than your health and well-being!

Writer's Illness - What Sitting Too Long Is Doing To Your Body
Writer's Illness - What Sitting Too Long Is Doing To Your Body
It seems writers are at high risk due to their sitting job, to get different illnesses caused by sitting too long. Who of us doesn't know the situation that just when we are writing a particularly dem…
Sebastian Tohouri

It might be an obvious one but I thought it would be a good reminder.

Shellie Schmals

Fantastic reminder! Thank you!

Christine Capone

Yes, this is a a great post! I have poor posture which I try to improve throughout the day and I usually gain about 5 pounds every year. I usually devote 6 months straight of writing and take the remaining 6 months writing a little bit every day and living!

John David Higham

I have been writing standing up for the past 15 years for these exact reasons. Additionally, I use a grounding pad.

Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for the reminder, Sebastian Tohouri!

Carina S. Burns

Thank you, for the reminder Sebastian! I know this all too well after writing my memoir for hours on end and developed some pain which eventually healed.

Sabrina Miller

I definitely need to get myself one of those standing desks. In the meantime, I guess I'll just place my laptop on a stack of books.

Cara Rogers

Agreed, Sebastian. All of that can lead to brain fog too. Better health = better output.

CJ Walley

Great post but procrastination will always have me avoiding the chair. I once rebuilt an entire toilet cistern before finally accepting I needed to get some writing done.

Maurice Vaughan

That's resourceful, Sabrina Miller.

Florin Şumălan

Thank you, Sebastian.

Here is a link to a video that could also be helpful for this situation (The PERFECT Daily Posture Routine (UNDO SITTING!): https://youtu.be/h3PZZyoXnKU

Chelsea Beckley

a good walk with motivating music does wonders!

Jason Mirch

This is super helpful! It reminded me to stand up right now.

Ewan Dunbar

Great advice Sebastian! Another good thing for eye health is the 20-20-20 rule. If you're looking at a screen for a long time, look at something twenty yards away, for twenty seconds every twenty minutes. It can help with headaches and other problems caused by looking at a computer screen too long.

Art Wasem

I write in 90 minute power blocks. 1 or 2 a day. with a mile walk in between and three flights of stairs to get there. Great advise.

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