Do I Need to Take a Hiatus?
My life is a lot different now than it was the last time I sat down to write a blog post.
(Seeing as we’ve just gotten through 2020, I’m sure a lot of you can relate.)
And you know what? I think that’s pretty much the only reason why I’m able to sit down and write a blog post.
At the beginning of the Year of Absolute Insanity, I put my blogging and social media on hold. I don’t even remember if I had an idea of when I would go back to those things; I just knew that I needed to take a break. Social media can be as exhausting as it is rewarding—not only is it a lot of work to create content, but fighting with the algorithm for a few likes is such a pain—, and blogging simply took more creative energy than I had.
I was worried about how this would affect my business. Being less present would have to mean less work. What if things went downhill and I needed to start from scratch when I did pick try to get started again?
(Looking back, I’m thankful I made this decision when I did. I didn’t feel like I was forced to make the decision. But trying to keep up with one or both of those things while the world collectively lost its mind would have been way too much. The anxiety that fills the air almost a year later still gets me down; it would have actually crushed me then.)
But believe it or not, 2020 was my busiest year for editing yet—without pouring all of my energy into showing up on Instagram and Twitter.
Have you been wanting to take a break from something especially tiring lately, but you’re not sure if you should, or how to pull it off?
Maybe this will help!
Hiatus: noun
a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process
Should I take a break, or keep going?
This is the most important question, so let’s answer it first. Your answer will be personal, of course, unique to where you are in life right now and the thing you’re maybe going to put down for a little while.
I’m not a professional life coach or anything, but let’s see if this will help you make a decision.
Answer yes or no to these questions…
If you’re working on a creative project, are you completely out of inspiration?
Are you frustrated before you even sit down to work?
Are you tired?
Does your work feel like it’s lacking something?
Does something that was exciting before feel exhausting or disappointing now?
Do you hear crickets when you share content?
Do you procrastinate…like…a lot?
If you said “yes” to four or more of those things, I would start to consider taking a break. But I have another question for you before we talk about that.
How long have you been feeling this way?
If it’s just been a few days, then maybe there’s something in the air. Keep being yourself and doing your thing, then see how you’re doing a few weeks from now.
But if the negative feelings have been hanging around for a while, or getting worse, there are two things I would recommend that you do.
The first one is to start doing what you can to take a break; distance yourself from the thing that’s so draining to you, even if it’s just for the weekend.
The second one is a lot more important—but also a lot more difficult. Think about how you’re feeling in other areas of your life, too. If this frustrated or empty feeling exists elsewhere, and/or there are physical things that aren’t right, there might be more you need to do for your mental health besides going on a hiatus.
Don’t be afraid to admit things are hard and that you might need help; it’s there, and you’re not less of a person for needing it. We all need it sometimes.
Okay. So I need a hiatus. How long should it be?
This, too, will be a personal and unique thing, depending on the thing you need a break from—and whether or not you can afford a break from it.
If you write blog posts for a living, chances are you won’t be able to quit the internet entirely for a few months. (But I have advice for you a little later, too!)
But if, say, your break is from a creative project and you have the freedom to put it down for a while, I would say that you should do that. Maybe just for a week or two. Or you could wait until you just want to pick it up again.
When I took my hiatus, I didn’t plan how long it would be—and that’s a good thing, because my timeline probably would have gotten thrown off with wedding planning (😍👰🏻🤵🏻😍) and moving (!!!).
If you can take a week away from the exhausting thing, I would recommend at least doing that.
Take that time to recharge; do things that nourish your mind, body, and soul while you’re away from the Draining Thing.
Check in at the end of your break and see how you feel. Look at those questions up there again and see if your answers have changed.
If you’re still not ready yet, give it another week or two.
Lather, rinse, and repeat as necessary.
Do what you can—and if you can do what you need to do, that’s even better!
I need a break from my writing project, but I feel guilty moving on from it. What do I do?
The heading says it all.
If this is you, let me tell you, it’s perfectly okay to set aside your work-in-progress until you’re feeling up to it again.
Let me say that again—it’s important.
It's perfectly okay to stop writing until you feel like writing again!
I understand that guilty feeling, because I’ve struggled with it myself. But your book baby isn’t going to toddle off while you’re taking care of yourself; I promise it’s still going to be there when you’re ready for it. Your characters will welcome you back with open arms and new conversations. If everything goes well, your time away will be refreshing, and you’ll get back to writing with more inspiration than you’ve had in a long time.
And if you’re afraid of losing your writing habit, then start a new project. (Yes, you can do that! No, your first project isn’t going to have its feelings hurt.) Do something just for fun!
For you, that “something fun” might mean trying your hand at writing some fanfiction; or maybe you dive into your character’s backstories and write out a few of the important scenes. You could write about other characters in the world you’ve created, or find writing prompts online.
The most important thing here is to just keep writing.
If you’re not worried about that regular writing habit, it’s perfectly okay to just stop writing for a while. Being burnt out isn’t fun, but it isn’t permanent, either; pick up the pen (or start your computer) only when you’re ready for it again.
I need a break from my job—but that’s impossible! Help!
It would be a very different world if our jobs didn’t take so much of our time. I think we can all agree that we would be less stressed and able to enjoy life better.
But since that’s not the case, it makes perfect sense to be burnt out at work—especially if your job is just to pay the bills, or you run your own business.
That sucks.
So let me tell you some good news!
There’s always help.
If you’re an employee but you don’t have any vacation time, make your non-working time as easy as possible.
Your “hiatus” might be taking it easy in the kitchen for a few weeks by eating more pre-made meals, or getting some help with those chores that pile up. It might be hiring a babysitter and really relaxing for an evening.
And remember to use your weekends to recharge as much as you can, and make sure you’re doing something just for you. That can be as small as an extra cup of coffee—just treat your amazing self to something, you’ve earned it.
And for those business owners out there who wear so many different hats and can’t possibly take any of them off?
You can outsource a lot of your work.
If you run a blog for a living, you probably can’t stop posting for a few months. But you might be able to hire a ghostwriter for a little while to get that off of your plate. Or you could always invite other bloggers in your niche to write a few posts; that’s fun for everyone!
If you can’t hire help, you might be able to cut back on your posting schedule a little bit.
And if it’s social media that’s such a problem, hey, there are people who can take care of that for you too! From creating the content to scheduling and posting it, there are plenty of people who are willing and able to do that.
You can outsource the little things, like managing your inbox, or invest in tools to make it easier.
If you can’t afford those things, don’t panic! Breathe. Take breaks where you can. Reach out to other people in your circle and let them know how you’re feeling—ask for advice and see what might be good for you. The changes you make might be smaller than you’d like, but at least you’re making yourself a priority, too.
I can’t take a Big Break, but something has to give! (Please say it’s not my mind!)
Maybe you can’t completely step away from the thing that’s so tiring to you.
That doesn’t mean you’re destined to feel burnt out forever!
Take baby steps.
For example, I needed a break from social media. I found myself spending way too much time scrolling, unhappy with myself after I did so. I would compare my little account to those of far more established businesses and accounts—not taking into account the money and time poured into them.
If you can’t delete the apps from your phone, you can still limit your time on them. Go into the settings of your phone and you should be able to set timers for your apps, as well as certain times of day you can access them.
With those simple, small helps, you’ll be able to do what you need to do—contact people, post an image or two, make a few comments—without getting sucked in to the thing that takes your energy away.
And remember to make yourself a priority.
Take a few minutes to list things you’re grateful for. Put on your favorite shirt. Go for a walk.
We’re so busy, and there are so many things that demand our attention. But it usually won’t hurt anything to say “Not right now, in a minute,” and finish your coffee in peace and quiet.
What’s on the other side of a hiatus?
For all of the stressing out I did before I took that hiatus, I can tell you it was absolutely worth it.
My environment has changed a lot since I took that break. I have changed a lot since I stopped blogging and posting so much on Instagram. (I stopped looking after kids for most of the day and I got married! Those are two huge changes!)
And I’m excited!
I’m excited to write blog posts and share them with you.
I’ve been posting on Instagram three times a week for more than a month now and I look forward to it every time!
My Instagram Stories are updated multiple times a day and engaging with my followers is more fun than ever!
In the months I had away, I gained clarity about what I wanted in my business moving forward, and I’ve planned steps toward those changes. I have a coaching call tonight to make even more goals and plans!
I’m back at it with renewed energy! I’m excited about the work I sit down to do every day.
Hiatuses are essential sometimes, and no one is less of a person, or lazy, for needing a break.
We aren’t machines—and even machines need a reboot now and then.
Take care of yourself, however you can, and remember that your productivity doesn’t equal your worth. You’re already priceless.