About Resources

Living as a professional writer is just about the best thing ever.I set my own hours, make a reasonable living, and I go to work with my baby on my lap.

On the other hand, I’m always at work. Even when “off duty” — even on vacation — I’m thinking through plot lines, coming up with article ideas, applying even the most relaxing activity to my job. Setting your own hours often means working all the time — even when you could or should be doing something else.

Shepherding personal resources — time, energy, emotional commitment, excitement — is the only way to succeed as a writer. Without doing that, it’s easy to burn yourself into exhaustion.

Which I did this past month, balancing my writing career with several business trips and doing the majority of the work on a major remodel in my home. Add a minor surgery on top of it, and I’ve been able to do very little work these past couple of weeks.

It’s an occupational hazard of freelancing, or any other situation where you’re your own boss. I’ve even given advice on this very blog about how to avoid it.

And here I went and did it to myself.

What sorts of things do you all do to help avoid burning yourself to exhaustion? Leave comments below.

 

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

2 thoughts on “About Resources

  1. It’s about pacing yourself and not taking on too much. When you start to feel stressed, it’s time to back off. Be sure to allow enough downtime for yourself.

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