One cannot go on doing work or working on a hobby forever. Every once in a while, a break is needed.
If you don’t take a break, then Life will give you one.
Key elements of my long hiatus from writing here.
Idea muscle burnt out.
Going blank every time you look at the horrifying blank page happens to us all… and also is completely fine.
The muscle between your ears can only take in so much computing. Burnout is inevitable. It will come and pass. In the world of constant consumption, info-overload, and infinite responsibilities, the best one can do is notice burnout from far away.
It helps reduce the effect of burnout on the idea-generation side of the brain. But noticing it only makes us aware of ourselves being in burnout.
Here is how you can get off the carpet.
Target a streamlined system over results.
A system is what keeps the work in the pipeline going where it is supposed to go.
I decided to streamline the entire process of writing by changing 1% of it. Instead of writing bits and pieces of one blog post, I wrote a whole draft. I didn't mind typos, mistakes, or even some sentences that would make 2nd-grade English feel like Shakespeare.
Target the system instead of the results. I avoided the thought of any final draft expectations.
A good way to go about setting up a system that works for you is to divide the work into days. My writing is Saturdays and Sundays only. Editing is Tuesday. The rest of the week is free. Systems work better without an expectation of results.
An optimized system takes care of results, anyway.
Following the contents instead of creating.
If you give me six hours to cut a tree, I’ll sharpen the axe for five.
— Abe Lincoln
Although the essence of the quote may be that preparation is incredibly important, it doesn’t take away the point that without actually cutting down, the tree won’t be cut.
Action is so much more important in a place where your results are seen not the drafts.
I want to write more. I have been, but now I want to publish it. Act first, adapt and improve later.