RSI Awareness Day
It recently dawned on me: I spend much more time on therapy and self-care than on writing.
The therapy exercises that I spread throughout each day typically amounts to roughly two hours total (at least). No vacation days permitted, or I’ll pay for it with a lot of discomfort.
As for writing… I don’t do it on a daily basis, but I do what I can. (I’m getting closer as of late, though!) Sometimes my schedule won’t allow it. Sometimes my body refuses to comply. My writing sessions tend to be brief. One hour is a long and potentially dangerous session for me. If I can fit in a total of two hours of mini writing sessions throughout a day, that’s an insanely good day. It’s also rare. It may not seem like much, but all these tiny sessions add up.
It's better to do a little bit of something I love than none at all. I cherish whatever writing time I get. And the therapy—it’s as much for my wellness as it is for my writing. The effort is worth it in the end.
Today, February 28, happens to be Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day. Every day for me is a day of RSI awareness, but today is ideal for giving the world a reminder that…
If your finger starts to ache as you are scrolling, clicking, or swiping…
If your wrist protests as you’re adding those crucial details to your drawing…
If your neck and shoulders become a mass of pain as you get sucked into your computer screen…
If your elbow feels like it’s been murdered, but you’re so close to done with writing that chapter…
If your thumbs feel on fire as you try to get past that boss level for the 10th time in a row…
If your fingers go numb and tingly as you practice your scales and arpeggios…
Stop. Seriously. Take a break. Get up. Walk. Move around. Stretch and flex. There can be dire consequences if you ignore your pain and keep at whatever it is you’re obsessing over. In fact, it’s better for you to take a break before you experience any discomfort at all, because sometimes that pain can become a constant companion for a long time.
Some people get RSIs so bad that they resort to surgery (which may help or it may even make it worse). Some people lose their jobs. Some even find they need to give up their greatest passions or at least take a break from them for an agonizingly long amount of time. RSIs can alter your life in a way that is both inconvenient and frustrating.
You aren’t being a wimp if you step away from your masterpiece for an hour or two. You’re doing yourself a favor by being proactive about protecting your most precious tool: yourself.
Our creative passions may be strong… but our bodies can only take so much.
Please behave and listen to the warning signs when your body tries to tell you something.
Trust me—RSIs suck. I’ve been wrestling with them since 2006 thanks to overzealous novel writing.
If you want to learn more about RSIs and my personal experiences, please hop over to the RSI section of this site.
I have all sorts of junk in my pain armamentarium. Notice how oral pain killers are not present, as they only mask problems as far as I am concerned. As always, discuss new remedies with a health care professional before you try something new, as the consequences could be disastrous. For example, I use magnesium oil, but an overdose of magnesium could be deadly—so don’t overdo it! I also had some weird experiences with the infrared light in the beginning (but it helps me now), which leads me to say: APPROACH ANY NEW THINGS WITH CAUTION.
UPDATE: Speaking of RSIs… I need to take a break from blogging for a little while as I’m currently struggling with an unexpected RSI flareup in spite of all the preventative measures that I take, which goes to show just how nefarious RSIs can be. This was one of those creepy and bewildering instances when it crept up on me without warning. I’ve been feeling fantastic and have been very productive with my creative endeavors of late, which has made me downright ecstatic. But my body clearly has a different opinion, as I woke up one morning earlier this month with the tingly symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome. Then, as is typical for me, other parts of my body grew jealous of the attention and decided to join in the fun by malfunctioning in various ways all over the place. I’ve been pretty fierce with laboring to knock the symptoms out of my system this time—and I’ve managed to feel improvement surprisingly quick. But, as usual, it is now my right thumb that is causing me the most trouble.
Anyway, it’s currently in my best interests to take a break to recover and take care of myself before this becomes more of a problem. I find it ironic to have to make such an announcement on RSI Awareness Day of all days, but these things happen sometimes.
The current battle plan: refrain from writing & drawing projects until I’m finished rereading a certain massive novel (which should help me to rest AND keep me entertained for a few weeks). As I ease back into being productive, I have a couple creative projects that need attention before I get back to blogging. One step at a time. Perhaps I’ll have a new post in a couple months—or I may manage some especially dinky posts. Who knows. I’m just trying to go with the flow and not be forceful with anything.
In the meantime, take care of yourselves and please be well.
