A Bout with Creative Burnout (Among Other Varieties)

 

Dear Readers, 

I will start this post like I start many of my emails: I hope you are all well and feeling both healthy and happy! 

Life has a way of getting in the way of things by making the simple, complicated, the relaxing, stressful, and even the exciting, terrifying. Whether we like it or not, things are always moving and changing in ways we can't predict and that put us to the test. Thanks to the constant shifting of health and schedules, I ended up with Covid. 

All things considered, I was lucky in my symptoms. I mostly felt the need to sleep off my fever for a few days and the urge to watch Christmas movies, but that was more for comfort than actual healing of my immune system. When I got that positive test, I was disappointed because that meant I had to cancel a work trip and stay home in my room until I was well, but I was able to shift that into an excitement for a time to cozy up and write! That dream was dashed when I became mostly focused on naps, so my exhaustion won out. It is my theory that my general exhaustion combined with my symptoms to create the most beautiful combination of burnout. 

There was nothing for me to do but to listen to what my body so needed, so I worked hard not to feel guilty for the loss of my effort. I was able to supplement my time creating with time spent enjoying books I'd stacked up to read, which helped to stir my imagination, but the level of "awakeness" needed for creation of my own was simply not there. 

As a writer– whether you make your living by it or not– we expend a lot of ourselves for our passions. It's not necessarily physical, though it can certainly manifest that way, but we end up feeling depleted and wiped out from giving to our normal daily activities and then the added effort of working towards the completion of our WIPs. That is a lot to balance and a large set of endeavors to spread ourselves over. My bout with burnout both physical and creative left me grateful for the unfortunate quarantine I had to endure. 

It is important to take care of ourselves when we aren't depleted so we don't have to deal with the consequences when we push ourselves too hard. That can mean many things: 

- Taking a step back from the strict writing schedule to focus on the extraneous scene that inspires you. 

- Sleeping in one morning instead of waking up with the sun to write. 

- Leaving yourself space from your WIP before you edit it. 

- Replacing part of your writing routine with some time outside, watch a show, listen to music, or relax your mind from the constant creating it does. 

- Get back to the basics instead of trying to dig so deep into the details. 

- Reach out to other writers or friends who can help support you or take your mind off the obstacle. 

You might have your own ways you prefer to unwind and recharge, but whatever they may be, I hope you create the space to take them. It's immensely better to stay stronger by taking care of yourself than to push so hard you don't have the battery to do the things you so desperately want to do. It will help you be a better writer and one in touch with what makes them feel confident with their abilities and always prepared to jump into the next chapter. 

Here's to taking breaks when we need them and listening to our hearts and minds!