@VBDavis11

This is the third post in this series. The other posts are linked below:

The Writer’s Guide to Overcoming Stress and Fatigue, Part 1 
The Writer’s Guide to Overcoming Stress and Fatigue, Part 2

Last month we talked about overcoming stress and fatigue through various lifestyle changes and habit hacks. That list was certainly not inclusive, but those are some of the strategies that I’ve used to improve my writing output and my overall wellbeing. But those four things alone didn’t turn my life around, it took quite a bit of work to overcome my overbearing stress and chronic fatigue. Here are four more things that have helped me in this process, and might just help you, as well:

1. Breathing

Welp, we all know we have to breath right? We do it basically all the time. But do we do it right? We’re still alive, sure, but could we be using this potent substance called Oxygen a bit more effectively? I think so.

When I’m dealing with fatigue, I breath. I stop and breathe deeply, from the belly. Sometimes I use deep, diaphragmic breaths. Other times I use short, choppy ones that kind offeel like I’m hyperventilating. The former makes me feel calm and stress free. The second makes me feel ignited, like a runner’s high after a marathon. I’d really recommend trying… just breathing the next time you are stressed, tempted, tired, etc. Really, anytime you can remember it. Here is a link to a page that can explain in a bit more detail.

2. Meditation

Breathing and meditating are often equated to the same experience, just as they are often linked to foreign, eastern practices. But neither of those paradigms are particularly true. I often think that stress occasionally arises from a really cluttered, busy mind, even more than outside obligations. And if you hadn’t determined it, I believe stress and fatigue are totally correlated. So, I meditate. This is a “do as I say, not as I do” kind of situation, because I don’t do it often enough, but when I do, I reap the benefits ten-fold. I sit, close my eyes, and attempt to calm my mind. I picture myself before God as a block of stone before a sculpture, and let him chip away at the things he doesn’t desire for me, the sins, the ego that I’ve allowed to persist for too long. He graciously clips the “thrones of life” that Jesus mentions in the Parable of the Sower, leaving me refreshed and recharged for my writing ahead.

If you’re feeling like you’re running on empty, stressed, overwhelmed, fatigued… however you might describe it, I’d encourage you to sit in silence before the Lord and allow him to speak to you in that still small voice, which is so hard to hear amidst the chaos of modern life.

3. Morning routines

Most writers, myself included, are prone to starting the day with a cup of coffee. As soon as the alarm goes off, the beep of the coffee pot soon follows. I want to encourage you to withhold a bit. I’ve found that using coffee to wake you up in the morning is like using a stick of dynamite for an alarm. It’s overkill. It’s too much. You don’t need it. Instead, after eight hours or so of sleep, your body is very dehydrated. Start with a glass of water (also the perfect time to take your vitamins), take a step outside and let the sun produce serotonin in your brain and vitamin d in your bloodstream. Take some time before you jump into coffee-fueled work. Sit for a moment and prepare, mentally, physically, and perhaps with a sheet of paper, the work that lies ahead. Then take each task in it’s turn. This keeps you from becoming a half-asleep, half-electrified-on-coffee writer who tries to tackle an entire day worth of work in the first sitting. Be easy on yourself. As an authorprenuer, you’re the boss and the employee. And if the boss part of you isn’t forgiving or kind to the employee in you, that employee isn’t going to work very hard. Start with a glass of water, a little movement, and a little sunlight.

4. Bulletproof Coffee

I’m not going to tell writers to not drink coffee. I can only imagine the hate mail I’d receive if I tried! But in fact, I love coffee, and it’s a part of the daily routine which has kept me on top of my fatigue and stress issues. But, instead of reaching for it first in the morning, I follow the steps outlined in step 7, and then move on to the sweet aroma of coffee beans. Also, when I do, I no longer loud it up with cream and sugar. Sigh… this one has been hard on me. I was one of those people whose coffee typically ended up looking like chocolate milk by the time I finished pouring in my hazelnut creamer. But now I resist. I decided to follow the most recent trend in coffee life, the Bulletproof coffee. I don’t follow the exact recipe laid out by the good folks who created it, but I do use MCT oils (coconut oil works fine too), and grass-fed butter in my coffee. How awful does that sound? Not good, until you try it. I dare you… no, I triple-dog-dare you, just once, to try your coffee with MCT oils, butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drop of sugar-free stevia liquid sweetener the next time your brew a cup of joe. Just make sure to use a milk frother or a blender to mix it all up. You’ll be amazed at how incredible it tastes, and by just how incredible you feel. The healthy fats make the caffeine release more slowly, so you can kiss the afternoon crash goodbye, and welcome in a day-long dose of energy. Here’s a link that can explain a bit more about bulletproof coffee and why it might help you in your fight against fatigue.

So there you have it: a total of eight lifehacks that have allowed me to live a fuller, healthier, happier, more productive life. But I’m just getting started. I plan on spending the rest of my life experimenting, researching, and implementing new strategies so that I may continue to grow and live the life God gave me to the absolutely fullest.

So with that, what has worked for you? Did you try any of the steps from previous posts? Did they work for you? Or what other quirky, idiosyncratic, or repetitive habits have you implemented to supercharge your life or keep the boat sailing when the wind falls short? Let me and the other readers know in the comments below, so we can all learn and grow with one another.

Disclaimer: If you leave a suggestion in the comments, chances are I will try it and report my experiences to you. Thanks in advance.

Vincent B. Davis II is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, and soldier. His first novel “The Man with Two Names” was published in July 2017, and has since become an Amazon International Best Seller. He is passionate about helping authors improve their brand and platform. He created Warrior Book Marketing Group in 2018 and now works with publishing companies and individual clients to help them sell more books in the modern publishing environment.