Article written by Ashleigh Lowry.
Writers are known for long and late hours, pushing ourselves until we finish the goals we have set. But that all comes at a price many know quite well: the dreaded Writer Burnout. It has taken countless victims and has been known to last anywhere from a few hours to weeks. So, I am not only here to talk about how to identify if you have burned out, including the lead up to it, but also some strategies for when you are suffering from this. Because who are we as writers if we can’t help each other out?
Burnout is when someone becomes too tired, both mentally and physically, to function. This can be because of the high-pace job they are in, a high amount of stress put upon them, or are continuously pushing themselves to be productive in every area of their lives. Depression has been assumed to cause burnout in the past, but now we’ve found that the two are not mutually exclusive anymore; even the most mentally healthy person can suffer from burnout for a long amount of time. So, some of the major signs that a person has burned out are: they are continuously tired, lack motivation, exhibit an overall negative aura about everything, their health decreases, and their work life as well as personal life takes a large, negative hit. There are more, but I feel that these are some of the biggest that are able to do major damage to your physical and mental health in the long run. One of the reasons that burnout can last so long is because we don’t address all of the symptoms, only maybe one or two. Even though those get fixed, it doesn’t mean the others will magically disappear. They will just build up and cause another, potentially worse, burnout.
I know this all sounds scary and terrifying, but I wanted to ensure everyone again that burnouts happen, and it is okay. You do not have to be ashamed that it happened to you. You are allowed to take a step back, take a breath and help yourself to a break. Because you know what? You deserve it.
Being a writer is one of the most stressful jobs/hobbies I have ever seen. When I brought this topic up to my writer friends, every single one knew exactly what I was talking about and shared their own stories. We start to hate our projects and our ability to write, barely being able to look at a laptop or notepad without feeling like it’s a chore. We no longer feel like we are creators, we are just factory workers. It is hard to break the cycle of continuously burning out and getting back up to a manageable point, only to push yourself into a burnout again. But I want to give a few suggestions on how you can treat your burnout, get back to working, and enjoy yourself.
1. Take a holiday from writing
It could be either a weeklong trip to Hawaii or just having a weekend away from your project to do something new around your town or city. Just breaking yourself away from the thing that is contributing the most to your stress is a great way to allow yourself some time to recharge all the things that need to be recharged. Your mind will probably wander back to your project, and that is okay; as long as you acknowledge that it’s happened and move on, it won’t take up much of your time. Take the time you need for yourself and enjoy the people around you. There are multiple ways to just enjoy some time at home as your holiday. You can turn off all electronics and enjoy a digital free day where you play board games, or a movie marathon weekend of your favourites. Take the time you need for yourself to heal, and everything else will fall back into place.
2. Do some reading and writing that isn’t your project
Many believe that a cold turkey, stop writing all together, is the way to go when dealing with burnout, but for some that is the wrong way to deal with it. Doing the same project day in, day out can be the cause of their burnout. Some editors and writers suggest that the writers take time to write and read something that isn’t their current project. Free-write some ideas or read a novel that is a completely different genre to what you are writing, anything that gets you out of the rut you have built for yourself. The idea to combat writer burnout with writing is an absurd one, I admit, but it does have some basis to it. The idea of this is that because you are writing the same thing for a long amount of time, you are probably needing a break, and that writing something else is the mental break you need. So, go write some flash fiction or character profiles; anything that isn’t related to your current project. Write something new, so you have the energy and mental capacity to come back to the old and continue.
3. Turn your attention to a different activity or hobby for a while.
I have said this before, and I will say it again. No writer has survived on writing alone. People need to have more than one interest, so it’s okay if you want to do something that isn’t writing for a period. Craft, exercise, learn an instrument, or take up something you’ve always wanted to try. Learning something new is a fantastic way to energise yourself. You can learn, meet new people and enjoy something, all the while feeling like you are repairing and becoming you again. Taking time for yourself and your interests is one of the healthiest things you can do your mental state. Giving yourself something new to focus on allows your brain to almost perform a reset and rebuild itself up to be stronger. For this to work, you need to not just change what you are doing physically, you need to change what you are doing mentally. You are allowed to think of your project for small increments, but it cannot be in a negative way, so acknowledge that you have thought about it and let the thought drift away as you focus on the here and now.
Now, I am not saying that every case of burnout is the same; in actuality, every case of burnout is unique to the writer. So, take time to learn your own symptoms and self-care to combat it. You are allowed to look after yourself, because you are the most important part of the writing process.
So, take the time to look after yourself so you can keep enjoying writing.
Comments