Interim Step Five: How to Handle Creative Exhaustion

Also, Why Are You Trying To Do So Much?

There is a wonderful phenomenon in the creative life that every artist hits at some point or another, a day when you wake up and look at all of the irons you have in the fire and ask…why? Why have you done this to yourself? Why are you trying to work on so many things at once? Why have you agreed to so many obligations? Why is this story not working and the other idea so shiny and clear? Ooooh, cake.

It’s not uncommon to experience a creative collapse in these moments. A sudden need to recalibrate. To look deep into your creative soul and honor the fact that it needs nourishing. Whatever accomplishes that for you, do it. Take a break. Breathe. Find some water—water is well-proven as a restorative. Pay some attention to the people/things that you’ve been ignoring because of the crushing weight of your obligations.

And then you can come back to your work, and prioritize what has to happen.

But is there a way to avoid this in the first place?