Injecting Fun Into Your Routine: Step 3

So this is the final instalment of how I inject FUN into my routine. By the way, I’m not advocating that you do the exact same things I do to get your writing brain to peak performance. What I’m advising is that you find those pass times which serve to reinvigorate you best.

I love nothing more than heading off to the cinema to watch a great film on the big screen. Unfortunately I don’t have the time I had when I was at university. Back then I’d treat myself to a visit to The Cornerhouse after a session of research or revision at Manchester Central Library. Now I’m restricted to unexpected free evenings or the weekend. I’m more than happy to go to the cinema on my own but am always delighted when I can share the experience with a friend or two.

My love of cinema stems from childhood. My parents were avid film goers and I was dragged along even before I was potty trained. There is a rumour going round that once this event took place my knighted throne travelled with us to the cinema. But I’m not substantiating anything. After the film, on the drive home in the car, my parents would discuss what they loved about it, what they hated, who they thought had acted superbly and more. As soon as I could voice my opinion, I joined in these discussions. It is yet another treasured memory amongst a list of so many others.

I have ways and means of getting round the time constraints which prevent me from going to the cinema as often as I’d like. More often than not though, I'm going to watch something on TV. I'm unashamedly addicted to stuff on telly. I often watch reams of home and garden improvement shows as well as cooking programmes. New series I'm currently hooked on are: The Handmaid's Tale, Broken and Poldark. In April & May I was also drawn into the Crucible Snooker Championships and confess I was just a little bit addicted. And of course, Wimbledon kicks off soon.

Then there’s my Lovefilm account because I just love receiving those little red envelopes through the letter box. It’s like getting a present even when it’s not your birthday or Christmas.

If you're still searching for that one activity which suits you best then take a look at this. I did a little survey with the ALLi Facebook forum and this is a top 10 list of activities fellow writers find most enervating. As you can see from number 1, it turns out us writers are not as sedentary as people might think.

Exercise (Yoga, Pilates, Martial Arts, cycling, running, dancing, gardening, golf)
Getting out into nature (walks or horse rides in the countryside/on the beach)
Walks in parks or botanical gardens
Playing with and exercising pets (owned and borrowed)
Listening to music, audio books or podcasts
Meditation & mindfulness
Reading for pleasure
Watching TV or Film
Long distance driving
Painting or crafting

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