Get Some Rest and Don’t Overstress

Relax, don’t do it; when you wanna go do it…

Mental fatigue. It’s a thing! It’s easy to overwork yourself by pushing too hard, especially when a goal is within sight.

All too often people will ignore the warning signs and try to push through, just to try and get that one final milestone or end goal.

Sounds good, right?

The thing is, dear reader, it often can be. Pushed too far and for too long, however, and all you'll get is a classic case of burnout.

If you’re constantly tired, getting tunnel vision, or just feel a general weariness you may need to take a break.

A lot of the time writers think if they take an off day they're cheating somehow, like their work in progress is going to give them the cold shoulder if they clean the house instead of continuing to untangle the gordian knot that is their first draft.

Well, I'm here to tell you “don't!”

Don’t think you’re shirking your duties, and in fact embrace the fact that taking a break from every now and then is actually good for you and your writing process!

It’s in your best interest to let your mind relax every once and a while. Think of your creativity like a muscle: you want to exercise it to make it stronger but pushing too hard too fast can make it cramp or tear. Even pro athletes take a rest day to let their bodies heal. Why shouldn’t you take one to let your creativity do the same?

Ignoring the danger signs and keep pushing and you may get done sooner but you’re end product (or you) may suffer because of it, meaning you’re going to have a harder time during the revision process (and thus making more work for yourself overall).

So go ahead and take that personal day, dear reader. Sleep in. Have that cup of coffee while watching the sun come up. Nap on the couch or try that new recipe you’ve been meaning to. Whatever you need to do to unwind, do it.

Your brain and future readers will thank you for it.