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Academic writing can be a pretty solitary pastime. Lonely even. There\u2019s nobody to talk to in those moments when you just can\u2019t seem to think your way through the fog or find the right way to get an idea onto the page. These are the times when many people turn to their dog or cat for emotional support.<\/p>\n
I am currently in between dogs. Not quite ready to forget the one who was recently in the basket near my desk. In her absence I\u2019ve found myself thinking about other sources of emotional support for writing. When I looked at my desk I saw that I did indeed have four comforting things close by. Even if these objects cannot offer anywhere near dog comfort level they still DO something important during my writing process.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0favourite mug\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 More than just a container, my BIG mug is a ritual object that signals the start of productive work time. The warmth in my hands and the familiar tea taste anchors me in the here and now.<\/p>\n A small succulent<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 My cacti is a living reminder to take breaks, breathe, and maintain perspective. I guess that caring for something green provides a gentle reminder that there\u2019s more to life than the intensity of academic work. There is life beyond the page.<\/p>\n A smooth river rock<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The rock is perfect for fidgeting as I\u2019m thinking. The repetitive motion of rubbing a smooth stone can be deeply calming. It\u2019s an antidote to the intellectual agitation that comes from tangling with difficult concepts.<\/p>\n A foot massager<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 rather like the stone except more vigorous. My massager only works if you actually roll it around so I have to quite consciously get it out and start moving it. Doing this seems to keep me from the spiral of textual doom \u2013 it\u2019s stimulation at the other end of my body.<\/p>\n I do also have\u00a0a\u00a0well-worn leather journal<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 the leather cover is an old family heirloom. You can put any kind of notebook or paper inside it. I used to have it on my desk \u2013 it was something tactile for jotting down sudden insights, working through complex ideas by hand or simply doodling when stuck. It was always at hand when I was doing my own PhD. I remember that the familiar texture and weight was grounding when I felt right at the edges of what I could understand.<\/p>\n I imagine that many people might also have\u00a0a\u00a0small framed photo or meaningful\u00a0object<\/strong>, something that connects you to your \u201cwhy\u201d \u2013 whether it\u2019s family, a meaningful place, or a reminder of what initially sparked your passion for academic work. This kind of emotional support object could help maintain connection to purpose when academic work feels abstract or remote from important relationships. I don\u2019t have this but I do have plenty of aesthetically pleasing artefacts not too far away.<\/p>\n Each of the objects I\u2019ve listed offers a different type of comfort \u2013 tactile, nurturing, meditative, ritual, inspirational.\u00a0\u00a0They provide distraction, grounding and support while writing. I am sure many of you don\u2019t need any comforting artefacts while you write, and I am absolutely sure that some people will find the very idea pretty silly. But I suspect that at least a few others besides me might have some emotional comfort objects, not the same but different from mine, that do the writing support job for them.<\/p>\n Do you have emotional support objects nearby when you write?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"