I’m sure you’ve heard it said that walking is good for you. But did you know that combining physical activity and creativity can also be good for you? In fact, there are some surprising health benefits to be had from walking and dictating your story.
The Power of Walking
Current physical activity guidelines from the American Heart Association state that we need to be moving our bodies 150 minutes a week at a pace that gets our hearts pumping, OR we need 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity. We’re encouraged to add two sessions of strength training to our weekly workouts as well. In short, we need to move more and sit less.
As writers, the number of hours that we spend sitting at our desks while writing can become detrimental to our health. That’s why I want to talk to you about the importance of combining physical activity with creativity to enhance your overall well being. Walking while telling yourself your story can:
improve cardiovascular health
enhance mood
reduce stress
boost creativity and cognitive function
help manage weight
The Art of Storytelling
Author and writing instructor Lisa Cron has offered extensive insight into the power of storytelling. I highly recommend her books about how our brains respond to stories. Basically, we crave stories because they help us make sense of the world. Lisa says, “The sense of urgency we feel when a good story grabs us is nature’s way of making sure we pay attention to it.”
Storytelling is also a significant form of creative self-expression. Telling a story allows humans to process emotions (including the negative ones) in a productive manner. Creative acts, whether writing, knitting, coloring, etc., stimulate dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ chemical, which makes you happy and motivates you to continue being creative. Studies have shown that creativity can make people smarter, boost immune systems, and reduce the onset of dementia.
The Marriage of Physical Activity and Creativity
There are several benefits to stepping away from our desks and going outside. Spending time in nature helps stimulate brain function and sharpen focus. If you’re already dealing with chronic aches and pains, now is the perfect time to learn to take your story crafting on the go. Imagine if you could capture your ideas while you’re hiking or cooking or even commuting? With dictation, your story goes wherever you do, ensuring that no brilliant idea ever goes unrecorded.
Benefits of Using Dictation to Create Your Story
One of my favorite parts about using dictation to create my story is the ability to break free from writer’s block.
Dictating helps banish those moments of staring at an empty page or an empty screen. When you use speech to text tools, you’re able to mute that pesky internal critic and let your ideas flow naturally. The act of dictating forces you to think more critically about your story, because you can’t edit and create simultaneously. As you dictate your thoughts with patience and practice, you’ll watch your word count soar. Eventually, you can learn to speak up to three times faster than typing. This increases your potential to finish your novels in record time.
Dictation also helps master dialog and characterization because you’re speaking your characters’ voices and their personalities directly into your manuscript, so your dialog is less stilted and more authentic. You can captivate your readers with your writing because dictation helps you find your unique voice, and you’ll develop it as you practice. This allows your words to flow naturally through speech, leading to more compelling and engaging narratives.
Practical Tips for Walking and Dictating
The necessary tools to use dictation are already at your fingertips. You’ll need to gain some expertise in using the proper tools to transcribe your thoughts into words. But there’s never been a better time to learn to be a more productive writer, because transcription services and speech to text apps are accessible and affordable. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, and Internet access, then you are equipped to use dictation to finish your next book.
it’s important that you choose the right location for combining physical activity and creativity. Most people like to start in a private setting, such as pacing in your kitchen or in the hallway, or taking laps in your backyard. Using an app on your phone that captures your voice and transcribes the words accurately is super important.
There are countless distractions in our world. Stepping away from your computer, limiting your access to social media, silencing the notifications on your phone will help you have a more productive dictation session. Getting used to speaking your stories out loud can often be a hurdle. The best way to overcome the self-consciousness is to keep practicing. Dictation works well when you establish a routine and make the practice a habit.
Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Combining Physical Activity and Creativity
Since I started using dictation in 2020, creative writing is fun again. My writer’s block has been reduced. I’m healthier, happier and more productive. I’m able to write multiple books per year because I spend less time staring at my word processor and more time speaking my stories out loud.
My manuscripts require less editorial work, which means I have more time to continue producing new content, as well as time to read books, hang out with my family, and travel. Using dictation to write your next book is important because you can move your body while you create, banish writer’s block and develop more engaging stories. With time and practice, you can find innovative ways to integrate physical activity and your creative pursuits into your daily life, which will help with your overall well being.
If you’d like more information, feel free to reach out. My digital course Dictation 101 is currently open for enrollment. It includes six modules, with twenty-four lessons composed of short videos and downloadable PDF handouts. You can learn at your own pace, and you have lifetime access to the course (including any updates or additional bonus content that I may add in the future). To help facilitate progress and encourage students to overcome any obstacles they may encounter, I’m available to answer questions via email or an online chat as well. Interested in learning more? Get all the juicy details here.
Happy writing, friends! I can’t wait to hear about how you have incorporated dictation and physical activity into your writing routine.
