Thoughts and ideas need time to reveal themselves to you. Taking a break at the right time gives you the opportunity to understand them well.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n BY DYLAN BADENHORST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like every writer, I\u2019ve sat behind my desk, envisioning the impact of my work on the world. But more often, I\u2019ve spent dreaded days filtering thought after thought, unable to make sense of anything going on in my bustling head, with nothing to show but blank pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On such days, I\u2019ve questioned what I was thinking trying to pursue a career in writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This incapacitating experience isn\u2019t unique to me. Every writer out there has their own difficulties overshadowing their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find yourself in a similar situation, let me impart what has revealed itself to me: sometimes writing demands that you stop, take a break and come back later with a fresh perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When all the neurotransmitters crash inside your head and you can\u2019t think straight, the best thing to do is take a break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In her article \u2018How to Take a Break from Work<\/a>\u2019, psychology PhD Elizabeth Scott writes: \u2018Taking a break not only gives you the chance to rest, it can also promote clearer thinking and greater productivity.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Resetting your mind from whatever you\u2019re working on is better than not being able to put pen to paper. You don\u2019t want to be in a position where you become fixated on an idea that isn\u2019t moving along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s better to make up for lost writing time than wasted time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re ready to return to your writing, rid your mind and workspace of distractions. They make thinking that much more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Writing about your ideas will become easier once you\u2019ve taken the time to sort and understand them<\/a>. Hopefully, you\u2019ll already have made note of them; don\u2019t ever trust yourself to be capable of remembering all the ideas you unexpectedly come up with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By organising your thoughts, you\u2019ll find the inspiration to bring them to life. After all, ex nihilo nihil fit<\/em>: you can\u2019t get something out of nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thomas Mann once said, \u2018A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\nStepping away from writing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Return later, one thought at a time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Embrace the difficulty that is writing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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