Fitness tips? Yup, fitness tips for copywriters!
Health and fitness is obviously important for everyone. That’s why it such a huge market segment. But it’s particularly important, I think, for copywriters.
That’s because as a copywriter you are in an inherently stressful business. I mentioned in an earlier post that in Direct Response you’re in the realm of “Objective Reality”. There’s no hiding place. Either you get results or you don’t.
Also, writing effective copy demands energy and focus. I hope this doesn’t sound self-pitying(!) but people who don’t write copy don’t understand the work and the effort involved. It’s hard to write effective copy if you’ve got no energy or if you’re unwell.
So, it’s important to stay in shape and be healthy.
Top copywriters agree with me. Here’s what John Carlton had to say in a comment on his blog recently…
“I’m a firm believer in massage (been getting 1-1/2 hours of it a week for twenty years) and chiropractic (on an as-needed basis) and working out (twice a week). I urge my freelance students to follow this regimen, too.”
And when I attended David Garfinkel’s “Breakthrough Copywriting” workshop, there were a number of sessions on health and maintaining your energy levels (…and yes, there were many discussion sessions in the bar as well!).
In fact, while I remember, if you are interested in nutritional supplements, check out Dr. Dave Woynarowski’s range of products at “Dr Dave’s Best”. I met Dr.Dave at “Breakthrough Copywriting” and I can recommend his products (in particular, the Fish Oil and his “Instant Brain Power”).
You know, this might all sound like “Motherhood And Apple Pie” stuff but it’s all too easy to overlook this kind of thing. Particularly if you’re a freelance copywriter working from home, as I know from my own, somewhat painful, experience.
When I first started working from home, I thought that I would have plenty of time to exercise and stay in shape and that pretty soon I’d be in peak condition. The reality turned out differently! I quickly fell into the routine of getting up, turning the computer on straight away and starting work pretty much immediately. Before I knew it, lunchtime had arrived and I still hadn’t showered or had breakfast!
Within a few months, I’d piled on weight and was not in good shape. I then ended up doing a lot of travelling overseas to seminars. When I got back I was pretty washed out and to make matters worse an old back problem had flared up again, necessitating several months of treatment.
Things had to change! So, the very first thing I did was start going out for a walk first thing in the morning. That way, I made sure of doing some exercise every day and got out of the apartment. In addition, I simply started doing more of what I knew I should be doing (better diet and more exercise) and less of what I shouldn’t (less coffee and fewer croissants in the morning!)
You know, I’ve got tons of books on diet, nutrition and health. There are variations, of course, but they pretty much all end up saying the same things. Eat sensibly and exercise regularly. So, find something that works for you and stick with it. It will pay off in boosting your productivity and making you more successful as a copywriter.