burnout

I want to write this article, but I have nothing to say.

I need to write this, NOW.

The ideas are out for lunch.

So, I'll just ramble

I've covered a wide range of topics in this newsletter. There were usually tidbits I was mentally juggling and decided to turn into articles.

Today I've got nothing, and maybe that's ok?

Ideas aren't clockwork. They will come and go like the tide, without considering your effort to capture them.

When facing idea drought, I use stillness and mind wandering to reignite the spark. Usually ideas come, quicker than you expect, when you give yourself space.

Most writer's blocks aren't real, but some are

There won't always be an infinite well of creative energy.

Ruts, slumps, and failures happen. And that's okay.

Embrace what life gives, and my creative burnout is no different.

If I keep making things when I'm uninspired, eventually a birdie will come.

The answer isn't always action.

Rest and recharge

Rest doesn't come easily for me, because I love to overthink.

I plan for the future, time-block my days, make to-do lists, try to be "disciplined".

That lifestyle can quickly become unsustainable.

The harder you push, the bigger you crash.

What I need is balance, a middle path, between relentless forward momentum and stagnation.

Small moves

I used to digitally track every minute of my day. Google Calendar was my second brain, and I made sure to update everything based on unforeseen changes.

This has pros; I was accomplishing a lot.

But there are downsides. When you track everything, there's no room to live.

I'd "solve" this by building rest into my calendar. But there was a problem.

Why use the calendar for rest, if the whole purpose of rest is to actually rest?

So, I switched to a paper planner, and I only track the main hours of the day.

It's a trivial change, but it feels better. One hop closer to my middle path.

Final thoughts

Life isn't about the continual increase, but the gradual decrease.

Slowly trimming down until you're left with only the essentials. And more energy to pursue what matters.

Try to get better at not trying all the time.