Why short breaks to move around are crucial for your creative process

Author Kelly Corrigan(left) and Manoush Zomorodi(right) connected a locomotion astir Vancouver. Corrigan has her notebook astatine nan ready. Katie Monteleone/NPR hide caption

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Katie Monteleone/NPR

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Let's talk astir movement, not arsenic exercise, but arsenic a concealed limb for imaginative people.

On a memorable locomotion pinch bestselling writer Kelly Corrigan, she told maine really she's go a maestro of getting unstuck: She's recovered that simple, beingness breaks — for illustration walking, dancing, aliases conscionable moving astir — tin reset her temper and focus.

So I wanted to stock a fewer of her tricks, particularly for anyone who writes, thinks aliases stares astatine a surface for a surviving (hi, maine too)!

Feeling stuck? Hit play and creation it out
Kelly's favourite hole for writer's block: a three-minute creation break.

"I emotion euphony truthful much," she told me. "It's nan cheapest measurement to alteration your mood."

Forget toxic productivity. When nan vibe turns sour, don't powerfulness done — shingle it off. Literally. Grab your phone, play a opus you love, and move. You mightiness beryllium 1 verse distant from your adjacent awesome idea.

Get up while you're catching up
Writing tin consciousness for illustration a sedentary sport, but Kelly tries to get upright whenever she can, particularly during telephone calls aliases investigation listening sessions.

Not each task allows for it, but galore do. Scheduling a dentist appointment? Returning a call? Try doing it connected foot.

Kelly Corrigan and Manoush Zomorodi enjoying a windy walk.  Katie Monteleone/NPR hide caption

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Katie Monteleone/NPR

Make your break...beautiful
When Kelly finishes a activity break, she'll often return a infinitesimal to tidy her space, clear her desk, return retired nan recycling, swipe down a counter. It's not astir perfection. It's astir caring for nan situation wherever her ideas return shape.

Work pinch your assemblage — not against it
The biggest insight? Stop trying to beryllium productive each time long. Kelly doesn't schedule overmuch for early afternoons — she knows that's her low-energy time. "I don't conflict pinch myself anymore astir really I activity and what my periods of remainder look like," she said.

Most of america don't person a writer's flexibility, but we tin get funny astir our ain rhythms and make micro-adjustments.

Think of these breaks arsenic conscionable portion of nan imaginative process.

This portion was written by Manoush Zomorodi and Fiona Geiran. It was edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour.

Click here to perceive to my speech pinch Kelly and decidedly cheque retired her show Tell Me More connected PBS.

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