Writing Hint #37: Take a break

The writer’s (and blogger’s) life can be tedious. It can also be lonely.

In your writing life you need to have times of refreshment, times of relaxation, times of recreation and time out from writing and blogging. It is important to have a social life, to get out there with friends and family and essentially to “get a life.” Staring a computer screen 16 hours a day for weeks on end is a sure way of driving you stir crazy. Sometimes when a project is due, or it needs to be finished, long hours are needed. Granted.

Start scheduling days off. Most workers have days or weekends off, so why shouldn’t you? Your writing will benefit greatly from the time of relaxation because you will come back to it with renewed enthusiasm and fresh insights.

Schedule a holiday where you get a substantial block of time completely away. I recently had a 24 day driving holiday in the eastern states of Australia. I only wrote a short journal entry in the evenings, and not every day. The experiences I had while away will keep me inspired for months. (The downside is that it has given me the desire to travel more. Not a bad thing I guess, especially if it inspires me.)

Get a life.

Take a break.

Good writing.