Breaks Are Good for Creativity

The holidays are fast approaching and with it often comes a sense of urgency. You’ve got to get everything done! I know I was pretty stressed at the thought of getting this blog post done on top of everything else. It got me thinking on how giving yourself time and breathing space is very important when it comes to writing.

You’ve probably had the experience of gaining sudden insight to a problem or a spike of inspiration seemingly out of nowhere. Constantly pondering and focusing on something doesn’t always lead to such clear results. And, as it happens, the inspiration doesn’t come out of nowhere: you’ve already laid the foundations before. Sometimes your brain just needs time and space to go through everything, and that can be easier when you aren’t actively focusing on the thing that needs a bit of insight.

I find it highly beneficial to take breaks from my writing, and to have at least two texts I can switch between as needed. This allows me to take some space and distance to my texts, which in turn allows me to make decisions that benefit the text as a whole. This also applies to when you need to start editing your text: letting the writing rest for at least a few days let’s you approach it with fresher eyes.

So, while I’ve said before that consistency is necessary when you want to improve your writing, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take breaks. In fact, breaks should be a part of your consistent schedule. Take a walk, do the dishes, see your friends, play some video games, whatever. Give inspiration some space to hit you.