Headspace for Writers

 

Headspace for Writers

We need mental health care!

Don’t worry. I won’t rant. The pandemic has taught us many good and bad things about the world, our work, our society. I have many opinions, but at the moment, the lack of mental health support is at the forefront of my mind.

For most, it’s been a year of lockdown, sickness, quarantine, online life, worries, money issues, and more. At my house, I did a great deal of hunkering down, focusing on my goals, and editing while still being supermom with online schooling. Lockdown wasn’t so bad for me writing-wise. But I think I’m the exception here. Many writers felt blocked, stuck, unable to plot or edit. Many helpful support structures collapsed. RWA imploded and coffee shop/diner write-ins were canceled. Writers were left bereft in many cases. And the mental health care system could not support or didn’t have the structure to assist us to get through a year of social isolation, lockdown, and pandemic thinking.

Headspace is just one tiny way writers can heal through this. The program has so many meditations, physical exercises, and soothing vids and audios. Authors can tap into those resources and find their place again. No, it won’t replace my Sunday write-ins at Denny’s, but it will help me deal with the stress and pain of not writing or reading, just editing every day all day.

I would urge any writer, any creative type to test out this app. Just the SOS sections alone in Meditation and Sleep can be life changers. Give yourself the gift of a calmer outlook. We’re through most of the fire hoops, but not out of the circus tent yet. Reincorporating into regular jobs, social activities, and school will continue to be stressful. Take care of yourself and your creativity. If Headspace is not your cup of tea, consider another meditation, yoga, sleep apps. If the cost is preventative, look for alternative funding sources. Some companies are buying subscriptions for their workers. I’ve been getting alternative access to Headspace through my library job and the state of New York. See if you can get some time with the app through your state or job.

I don’t have a list of cute, productive activities for this app. It’s not that kind of program. The only thing I could think of was to create a character who used pieces of this app as a teacher or to calm their own life.

Anyway, I encourage you to do the free trial and perhaps a month subscription to see if it works. After that, you might explore other apps, YouTube videos, and the like to find the music, movement, and meditation to help you create your craft.