It’s ironic, because it’s spring. The azaleas are blooming and the forsythia are absolutely blinding in the sunlight. Nature is busting out all over, so you’d think this would also be a time of soaring creativity and output.
Maybe it is for you, but not for me, I’m afraid. I’m only just plodding along. After a very long, cold winter, the work and the words are coming slowly. I’m working on several larger- than- usual projects simultaneously (including a couple of information products that will be of great use to small business marketers like you and me. More on that later.)
But the creative work is taking a lot more time than usual. A lot more time than I’d like. But now I think I’ve finally figured out the problem.
Mental exhaustion. I haven’t had a real vacation in years. I’m self-employed, so I work every day. I love what I do, so sometimes it’s hard to push myself away from the computer. I desperately need to take some time off and just. have. fun.
It’s easy to forget that relaxing, recreation and fun are essential ingredients in a balanced life. Julia Cameron, in The Artist’s Way, calls the process “refilling the well.” Our storeroom of creative ideas and images eventually runs dry and must be replenished regularly. I haven’t been doing that. All work and no play, etc.
As the great George Bernard Shaw said:
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”
So let me ask you… how do you stay refreshed and effective? What kind of leisure activities would you recommend? I really need a kick in the butt to get started.