The Unemployed Writer

It’s that time of the year and while last year I was still in the relatively decent shape that tends to follow those who have full time jobs working in a kitchen, this year has me a full four months into the blah fall and winter weather of Seattle and thus three or four months into a growing spare tire, spurned on by day long sessions in front of my computer and television rather than braving the sub freezing temperatures and torrential rain pouring down outside.

Yes folks, Con #10 of working from the comfort of home is the growing mid section that symbolizes way too much time planted on the couch rather than taking a walk to the store or riding a bicycle a few miles each day. What can you do to combat this ridiculously common occurrence and keep from falling into the common stereotype of a writer sitting at the computer all day eating potato chips and drinking energy drinks?

You’ve got to get out of the house first of all - at all times of the year. It’s easy to get out when it’s 75 degrees outside and you really don’t want to do any work, but what about when it’s 25 and you have lots of work in front of you? It’s a hard task, but it’s one you have to push forward and make yourself accomplish. Get up early, join a gym, find a community center, walk instead of drive - find something you can do to keep yourself from lounging on that couch for too many hours every week, because otherwise you’ll get to April and step outside, realizing you are in incredible bad shape.

Let’s pretend for an instant I actually follow my own advice (come on, at least pretend) and I am still doing okay even though it’s winter and I loathe going outside into this weather. Seriously, I haven’t let a couple of extra snacks get to me at all - I’m all about staying healthy all year long……..