Calm Amidst the Commas
Thank you for joining me today on my blog! Today’s post is on health and wellness. Coming up on August 15th is National Relaxation Day, so today I am reflecting on how I can find tranquility amidst my meticulous world of editing and proofreading.
You might think that editing and proofreading is fairly relaxing. After all, it’s just reading, right? Nay, nay. The world of editing requires precise attention to even the smallest of details. We read text and scrutinize punctuation to be sure every comma is in its place, and proper grammar is used. It's also about ensuring that the writer’s message is coming through effectively and clearly. This demands our full attention and perseverance for hours at a time. Days like today help us to take a moment and look at the balance of our lives and remember the importance of self-care.
Just like editing is not only about reading and correcting errors, relaxation is not just about taking a short break from your work. It also includes refreshing your mind and body, improving your overall well-being, and nurturing your creativity.
With all your work deadlines and client expectations, it can be easy to forget to pause and just breathe. Remember to step back from your computer screen, stretch your aching muscles, drink some water, and let your mind maybe think of absolutely nothing if only for a few minutes.
Reading for pleasure and reading to edit are very different. While reading for pleasure I can get caught up in the story and the characters and while I do notice mistakes, I don’t get distracted by them unless they interfere with the story. I can travel in my mind to another world. When reading while editing, I am focused on inconsistencies, punctuation errors, and rereading pages to be sure nothing was missed.
That isn’t to say I don’t enjoy a good manuscript while editing; I find joy in a well-written sentence. But I also recognize how important it is to disconnect from my work to allow my mind and eyes to rest. My preferred ways to relax are to take my little dog for a walk, stretch, catnap, or take a quick swim in the pool. I also like to play around with essential oils to help me relax and to focus. They can also help me clear my mind and are great to reduce stress and anxiety. (I will be making a blog post on this very subject in the future, so be on the lookout!)
I would encourage you to take a moment to make decompressing an important part of your balanced life. It's not about neglecting your responsibilities but rather acknowledging that your best work comes from a place of quiet and calmness. Take walks, do some yoga movements or some other form of exercise. Even watching a funny movie can do so much as it releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones.
Fit relaxation into a small portion of your daily routine to prioritize self-care and mental well-being. Remind yourself that a relaxed mind is a sharper mind, ready to tackle the intricacies of your work with renewed vigor.
Here’s to finding calm amidst the commas, serenity between the sentences, and peace in every paragraph.
If poetry is your thing, check out the poetry at: https://poemsplease.com/poems-about-stress/
