BURNOUT.
Burnout? I won’t get burnt out!
Oh, my eager new author, how I wish that were true!
We all want to think that we will never get burnt out doing something we love, regardless of what it is, but the truth is, we all do and will.
Life is stressful, work, relationships, family, friends, health issues, money issues, etc. There are any number of factors waiting to drag us down, from stress, fatigue, motivation, etc.
What do we do then, when it happens? How can we get back on track and recharge ourselves?
This post may sound a bit like any other mindfulness post, or health and happiness or mental health and wellbeing, whichever niche you would like to file it away under, but the truth is, it is exactly that.
Writing takes a lot of time and creative energy. Add in all of your normal daily demands and routines and how much time do you really have in a day to commit to writing? Then, if you fully commit, you have social media accounts to update, a website to update and to post on, stories to write, deadlines to meet, editing to do, promoting to do, a bio to update, a sale to run, a feature to write, an interview, or an Ad, or…I am sure you can see where I am going with this.
To avoid burnout, try to develop a routine. Some of the below methods are tried and true by some of the best authors in the business.
5 am writers club-yes, exactly as it sounds. Get up at 5am, and write for 1-2 hours, however long you can devote to writing before your daily demands start.
Daily Writing Prompts-Challenge yourself by completing a fun writing prompt each day. Make it a point to not skip one. There are books you can buy with hundreds of them, along with websites and apps that will suggest one for you.
Meditate Daily-Take 10-15 minutes each day to recharge and reset. Sit quietly and clear your mind, try a bit of incense, or soft music, deep breathing and just concentrating on settling yourself.
Morning Pages-Dedicate your first hour of each day to writing, long-hand, whatever comes to mind. Think of it as a mind-dump on the page. No thought process, no story, no idea, just writing. There is a workbook devoted to this, The Artist's Way, and it's a great tool. I will link it at the end of this post.
Take a Walk-Get outside and breathe. Take in nature, take in the sights and sounds around you, the colors, the scents, the people. Breathe fresh air, get some exercise and allow yourself to observe the things around you. Good exercise yes, but also a useful tool when writing. A full arsenal of scents, colors, textures and feels to draw from.
Read! Read More-Reading is always a source of inspiration for an author and motivation. Read journals, magazines, and new books by authors that you have not yet read. Read old books, read the classics, read poetry and prose. There is always something new to be learned or to inspire you.
Take A Day Off!- We all need a break. Take a day or two off. Rest, eat a good meal. Go enjoy a movie or take in an art gallery.
I’m sure there are many other things you can think of and you should do whatever works best for you, but one or two of these things a day can go a long way towards letting your mind rest, allowing you to recharge a bit.
Tools and Resources:
I strongly recommend this Starter Kit. It's The Artist’s Way handbook and workbook and is a wonderful tool to help inspire a new creative person.
5000 Writing Prompts- all the prompts you will ever need.
The Writer’s toolbox-full of prompts and more to help challenge you.
Genre Writers Writing Prompts.
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