Real Words

I’m normally very good at reading my own signals and knowing when it’s time for the work day to end. However, there are always those days when there is more work than you can get done before your writing light burns out. If you’re not tuned into what’s going on with yourself, you can cause yourself to get exhausted and to tap out your creativity. This results in poor work and a sense of frustration.

Here are some signs that it’s time to stop writing for the day even if there is more work that needs to be done:

• You’re making typos that you don’t normally make. If your fingers are tripping over the keyboard, you might want to think about whether you’re really maximizing your time.
• You’ve decided to stop proofreading your own work. I’m normally highly conscientious of proofreading all work before sending it to a client or posting it on a blog. If I find that I’m not inclined to care so much about the quality of my finished product, then I know that it’s time to be done for the day. I really do only want to put my best writing work out there for others to see.
• You hate your job. Most freelancers love their jobs. However, they have days when they start to hate the work that they’re doing. Unless this is a symptom of ongoing discontent requiring a true job shift (which you’ll know internally) it’s probably a sign that you just need to take a break.
• You’re snapping at the people around, you’re crying or you’re otherwise emotionally expressing frustration. Sometimes we do this and don’t even blame it on the job. If you’re not normally this kind of person, ask yourself if the work is the real problem.
• You can’t pull yourself away from the computer even though you know you’re done. If you’ve already conceded somewhere inside that you’re tapped out, you might find yourself trying to convince your body to keep on working. If you’re already having that internal conversation then you should probably be thinking about hitting that shutdown key.

When the writing work is getting too tough, it’s okay to throw in the towel. Sometimes it’s better to let our brains rest and to do better work the following day than to try and get too much done within the deadline. Of course, it’s ideal to pace your week properly so that you don’t face this kind of exhaustion. But it’s important to realize that sometimes you’re going to have these kinds of days and that you need to deal with them properly. Be kind to yourself; the rest of the world might not be but you can always make the effort.

Question of the Day: How do you know that it’s time to stop writing for the day?

Related links: 3 Things I Learned From My Girlfriend This Week, 5 Signs It’s Time to Stop Writing, When to Take a Break

Recommended books: Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance, Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Restaurant Reviews, Articles, Memoir, Fiction and More

[Tags] writing, freelance, tired, exhausted, work, employment, habits, rituals, work at home [/Tags]