Wednesday, April 9, 2008

What Not to Do Wednesday: A Back-Breaking Problem

How many times has this happened to you?

The most brilliant idea ever comes to you and you race to the computer to typity,typity,typity away and when you look up, five hours of your life have passed by? Wow! That's exhilarating, isn't it? Until you stand to take a bow and bam! Your back is killing you.

Or maybe your leg has fallen asleep and bam! you hit the floor, your mouth full of carpet and dog hair. The point is, sitting all that time, hunched over at the computer, moving only a few brain cells and fingers, can be detrimental to your health. I was reading a post over at Writer Unboxed last week about Deep Vein Thrombosis and how it could affect those who remain in a sitting postion for long periods of time. If you're encouraged to walk around on long plane rides, it stands to reason that you should also get up and walk around during long periods of writing.

When the weather turns warm, I don't have this problem. I'm forced to get up every half hour or so and find my "lizard-bashing" stick (Don't worry. I don't kill the lizards. I just give 'em a little bash so Sally dog will quit whining at the window).

But during those long, cold days, I have taken a tumble or two when my leg has fallen alseep after prolonged sitting. And I've taken an ibuprofen or two for my back as well. To tell the truth, I'm not as young as I used to be. Those backache spells take longer and longer to heal.

So don't sit at your computer all day without taking a little break, grasshopper, no matter how scathingly brilliant your writing is going. Get up and put a load of clothes in the washer. Take a shower, for heaven's sake. Or help me find a bashing stick. 'Cause Sally dog just found another lizard.