Occasionally, when a project isn't working out and I feel like I'm running out of ideas, a block sets in. That's when I know it's time to take a break from whatever I'm working on. Sometimes the break lasts a day, other times it's taken a year to get back to it.
Here are some signs that you might benefit from setting the project aside for awhile:
- You develop this irrational feeling that something terrible will happen if you don't finish now - you'll never write another word again, your self-esteem will suffer irreparable damage, etc.
- You're completely out of ideas, even bad ones.
- You dread working on it. It used to be a dream, now it's a chore.
- You feel like running all the pages through the shredder or tossing them on the compost pile.
At this point, stop. Put the project away. Do something else during your free time - take long walks, go to the beach, read fluffy novels or chat with friends. Taking a complete break can actually save you time and grief in the end - you'll know when it's time to return to your work, and you'll do so with a renewed sense of purpose.
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