Writing Burnout

Writers can get burnt out just as any other professionals can find themselves burning out if they do not work hard to prevent it. How do you get writing burnout in the first place? And when you feel burnt to a crisp, what can you do to feel rejuvenated and ready to write once again?

For starters, there are a few different factors that can lead to writing burnout. The first factor to consider is how much you have been writing without resting or getting a change of scenery? Doing any activity to excess, even when that activity is one that you love such as writing, can lead to burnout. Feeling burnt out can cause you to want to turn away from doing what you love. This means that it is important to take steps to prevent yourself from feeling burnt out in the first place. For example, it is important to set reasonable writing goals, not "pie in the sky" goals. When you set goals that are ridiculously out of reach you inevitably end up disappointing yourself, a terrible feeling that can lead directly to writing burnout.

To prevent writing burnout, it is also important to take breaks frequently. After completing an article or essay or even just a paragraph, get up and walk around. Have a drink of water. Better still, take a short walk outdoors. This will refresh you. You might even get some great ideas for the piece you are writing while taking your break. Breaks give you the emotional breathers you need to recover and get back to work in a healthy mindset. After all, when you are writing, you are working out your mental muscles. As great as it is to do this, you also need to rest your mind in between these mental workouts so that you don't suffer from mental muscle fatigue.

Don’t forget to eat well and get plenty of rest. A lot of people start to burn out on writing and/or other activities that they usually enjoy when they are eating junk food instead of nutritious food and when they are not getting enough sleep or are dehydrated from not drinking enough water. When you get these basics down pat, you are going a long way toward prevent writing burnout.

Take a day off every now and then. It’s okay not to write every single day of your life. When you get in the habit of writing obsessively you are less inclined to take a day off. But those days off are what will enable you to be more productive when you return to writing afterward. And when you take days off, don’t spend the entire time feeling guilty about not writing, because that will defeat the whole purpose of taking time off. Really use that time to recuperate and think about other things. If possible, you might also want to get some physical activity that day. There is nothing quite like exercise to help you feel better when you are feeling mentally and physically burnt out.

Speaking of exercise, you should probably get in the habit of getting a moderate level of exercise each day (or almost each day) because this can go a long way toward reducing stress and anxiety and preventing writing burnout. Walking briskly or getting on the treadmill or taking an exercise class or swimming or biking are all great ways to feel stronger and less burnt, both mentally and physically.