5 Tips To Avoid Burnout While Writing

Writing is a fantastic way to relax and unwind, but it can also lead to stressful planning and burnout if not metered. Knowing what to do to avoid burnout and continue developing your writing is vital to success.

Take a look at these 5 tips for how to avoid burning out when writing!

1. Take Breaks When Writing

It might seem obvious, but taking breaks from writing will help make sure you don’t overload and burnout. Breaks should be longer than a few minutes to allow your thoughts to move elsewhere, but there is no exact timeframe. Breaks are at your discretion. If you need to let your work sit for longer, then do so.

Writing can be a beautiful thing, but only if you continue to enjoy it. Taking time away from your work can provide perspective and rebuild your passion for writing at the same time. Don’t neglect breaks that you can use to flourish.

2. Set Realistic Goals

While it would be amazing to write 5,000 words a day for your novel, it’s just not feasible for many. Holding yourself to near impossible standards is a quick way to completely burnout. At that point, you’re no longer writing for yourself, you’re just throwing words around.

Setting realistic goals can be writing 500 words, or it can be reviewing a chapter, or it can be just opening the document for a few minutes a day. This allows you to continue building your work without growing to hate it

3. Read Through Your Notes

Sometimes, you just don’t want to write. Other times, you want to revisit what made you passionate in the first place. Looking over your notes can revitalize those parts of you. Make sure you keep track of details (for me, that means filling out a five-subject notebook with at least three drafts of each book, planned out chapter by chapter in bullet-point form) so that you can always go back and read through.

Having access to your notes lets you unwind and see the big picture all over again. Sometimes a step back can help you avoid burnout and give you new ideas.

4. Try Something Else

If you’re burnt out, try something other than writing. Sketch a scene from your book, create a playlist that has the right atmosphere, or watch your favorite movies that bring you inspiration. Burnout isn’t something to mess around with, so take it seriously. It’s a sign that you need to rest and recover.

Trying something else can also mean skipping over where you’re at if it’s not working out. Jump over the part you’re stuck at and come back later (no one has to know).

5. Write What You Love

If you’re burning out and losing the will to write–stop. Take a breath. Start again, this time writing whatever your heart desires. Sometimes, we just need a break from the traditional writing we’re used to, or our minds need an escape from the escape.

Write something that you love, whether that’s a fairytale, a sci-fi adventure, or even a non-fiction tale, and set your mind to writing something new with no expectations. See where you go with it and enjoy the journey. There’s no pressure.

Final Thoughts On Writing Burnout

Burnout is bad, and we can all agree on that. There are many ways to rest, but some of us are workaholics and want to continue even as we’re burning out. To avoid exceeding your limits, you can find ways to enjoy the writing process once more and continue writing what you love.