Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Occupational Hazards

Do you ever think of something you need to jot down for your writing in bed...in the dark? I do. And I'm proud of my ability to write legible notes on the notepad from the bedside table without turning the light on.

Until the writing isn't legible. ; ) Occasionally there is one that trails off into a series of unreadable squiggles and an ink blotch. Sometimes the blotch isn't just on the notepad. ; )

On a more serious note, there are true occupational hazards to writing.
  • Repetitive motion stress injuries in hands and wrists--the dreaded Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
  • Chronic pain in neck and shoulders
  • Lack of sleep
Of course, family and friends always claim that we "daydream" about our stories instead of participating in real life. (As if our stories aren't real! ; )

How do you combat writing's occupational hazards?
What other occupational hazards can you identify?

NaNo update: 10,984. I'm slowing down, but that's okay. That's still a lot of new words to work with.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all in the US and have a wonderful Thursday to the rest of you. ; )

10 comments:

  1. I tend to lean on one elbow in my chair. Tends to mess up my arm, and the arm rest of the chair too.

    mood
    Moody Writing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mood,
      I've been known to do that one too. The little things done repeatedly really can mess you up. Thanks for the warning.

      Delete
  2. I actually wear a brace when typing. It helps prevent that nasty carpal tunnel. Also, I keep the top of the keyboard elevated higher than the little legs.

    For the shoulders and neck- a few years ago when I was the research and development head of an herbal products company, I developed a neck wrapper. It's about 24" long tube, and filled with rice and herbs. It could be heated in the microwave or frozen. It weighed exactly three lbs. It helped support the neck and the weight held the shoulders in proper alignment.

    As for lack of sleep...sleep is overrated. lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lol! I'll tell my body that the next time I don't sleep. ; )
      I wear a brace, too. The neck wrapper is interesting, but I think the weight would be hard for me to keep up. You never know though.

      Delete
    2. Actually the neck wrapper wraps around the nape of your neck and hangs down the front...sort of like a necklace or shawl. Most people tend to raise their shoulders up when keyboarding leading to neck and shoulder pain. This is the common reason for head aches.

      Delete
    3. That's why I'm getting a new office chair with more adjustable arms to get them low enough for me. I can't wear necklaces or scarves without tightening up my shoulders so the wrap might be a bit much for me.

      Delete
  3. I've gotten much better at scribbling in the dark! Helps if there's a moon outside... Or a streetlight :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're cheating! I can and have written in pitch black by feel. ; ) Of course, it's not for long and only a kernel of sniplet to remind me what I thought of. Now why can't all those wonderful ideas come in the light of day? ; )

      Delete
  4. When i do that I use way more paper than I need, because I can't judge at all where the ends of the page are! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're mistaken if you think my in-the-dark writing is neat. I write big and leave a lot of margins and bottoms...and still manage to write on the sheets from time to time. (shaking head) ; )

      Delete

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