Issue 032
how to write a story in three hundred and sixty days : : 239 days to go and I'm learning to recognise my symptoms of burnout
Last week, burnout started to singe at the periphery of my vision. I was tired mentally, physically, and emotionally but given the progress of the last month, I really didn’t want to lose momentum on my writing. My instinct was to push on and push through. And when I couldn’t do that, I started to skip writing days.
There’s nothing wrong with non writing days. Rest is always necessary. Where I worry is when the ‘rest’ evolves into something more sinister… fear and avoidance.
D A Y 1 2 6
In the past, when my ‘rest’ evolved into fear and avoidance, it was foreshadowed by a sudden, unsustainable, spurt of energy. Days before I collapsed onto my bed for a two week hiatus, I would scramble to keep up with a writing schedule that was barrelling on without me.
For context, according to my 90 Days To Your Novel schedule, by now I should have a complete detailed outline of Oranges and I should be fleshing out scenes.
However, I still haven’t completed my outline.
True to history, after 2 non-writing days, I pulled out my calendar, and devised an ambitious plan that would have me catch up to where I thought I ought to be.
But on Tuesday, something incredible happened. I deleted the ambitious plan and considered the data.
I’ve been tracking my writing on MinimaList for the last couple of months. Every writing day, I make a note about what I’m working on and using the app’s inbuilt timer, I track how long I work on each task.
So I looked at the data of hours and days I’d been working on my outline. The 90 Days Schedule recommended 2 days. I’d been on Act i for 4 days (each consisting of an average of 2.5 uninterrupted hours). I could either berate myself for being slow or accept my pace.
I chose acceptance.
If 4 days was what I needed, then 4 days was what I needed. Why squeeze myself into a general schedule? Why not expand the schedule to fit me?
I gave myself 3 more days to complete outlining Act i ( more days than I think I’ll need) and a week each to outlining Act ii and Act iii.
And for the first time in eight days, I slept peacefully.
On Wednesday I woke up unafraid less afraid. I took a walk, I brushed my teeth, I had a shower and through it all, I felt guided, rather than chased.
It’s taken me 10 years to not only recognise what burnout looks like for me, but to notice its warning signs and halt its progress before it halts me.
♥️
And that’s where I’m at this Thursday.
As always, thank you so much for reading and fingers crossed, I’ll see you here next week!
P.s, Do you notice when you’re on the verge of crashing and burning? What does that look like for you?
Progress Bar . (1) Burnout avoided 🦧