Writers: 7 ways to keep warm this winter
Winter is just around the corner in Australia, and if Autumn is anything to go by, we are in for a frosty one! It feels like only a few weeks ago, we were complaining about the relentless heat waves and then all of a sudden ceiling fans and swimmers are a thing of the past. Flannelette sheets, throw blankets and soups are now the reality.
If staying motivated to write wasn’t hard enough, now us writers have to battle numb hands and feet as we sit idly at the laptop. Here are my seven tips for writers to stay warm this winter.
7 tips for writers to stay warm
Copious amounts of tea
It's a no-brainer. I haven't come across a writer who doesn't have a warm beverage of choice. For me, it's an English Breakfast tea in a fancy teacup with a dash of milk and a biscuit on the side. A mint slice, if we're getting specific. A quick scroll through my Instagram feed will reveal my biscuit and tea fetish. Most of the time I’ve taken a bite out of the biscuit before I’ve snapped a pic.
2. Fingerless gloves
Oh yes! These are brilliant for those early mornings or late evenings when your hands are a little stiff, you're fingers are a bit blue, and the blood isn't entirely circulating properly yet. They are a bit nerdy and old-fashioned, but there are plenty of trendy styles available now. Mine has the little fold-over mittens that come in handy when I'm not typing.
3. Double socks
My feet are always cold, even when I'm wearing socks. Solution= double socks! Yes, that's just one pair of socks worn over another. Just this weekend, my husband was complaining of cold feet, and I said: "try double socks." He replied, rather predictably with "no, that won't make a difference." I smiled and said "trust me," knowing that we'd had this same conversation last winter. Sure enough, five minutes later he returned and said: "double socks are amazing!"
4. A throw blanket
Why not? No one will judge you if you’re wearing double socks, fingerless gloves and covered up with a big fluffy blanket while you’re working on your masterpiece.A cup of tea, a beautiful, cozy throw blanket, and writing space. Perfection!
5. Heat packs
Water bottles or heat packs are a must-have in winter. I tuck a heat pack under my feet, or behind my back while I’m writing. Seems to warm up the whole body. You can lie it across your neck and shoulders too when you’re feeling a little tight from slaving away at the keyboard.
6. Follow the sun
I’m lucky enough to have a writing space that gets full sun for most of the day. It’s the warmest room in the house. The difference in temperate from my home office to the living room is ridiculous. It makes sense to write where it’s warm.
7. Get active before you sit down
Warm up your whole body before you sit down to write. Stretch out those tight muscles, flex those numb hands and feet, and get the blood pumping so that when you sit down to write you're already warm.
I tend to go for a walk or run around the yard with my toddler most mornings, so by the time she’s down for her midday nap, I've warmed up, and I'm ready to write.
There you have it: my seven tips for writers to keep warm this winter.
How do you stay warm when you write?
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