Right now, I’m fighting off some sort of virus. My gut instinct is to curl up in bed, wrap the blankets around myself, and sleep for two days. However, that’s not going to get this book finished.
Here are some tips you can use to work through those times when you just don’t feel like it:
- Set a time limit – this is a useful technique at any time, but when you’re not feeling the muse, it’s helpful to set a shorter time – maybe 15-20 minutes as opposed to 30-60.
- Try some writing exercises – if your brain’s just not running on all cylinders, try doing some freewriting with that next scene, or work on your outline instead of plotting. So long as you’re headed in the right direction, it’s OK if you’re not moving at full speed.
- Pamper yourself – get out the laptop and crawl into bed with those blankets. Make a pot of hot tea. Have some of those cookies or a slice of that pie if you want. Give yourself a little pampering, then get some work done.
- Take a break – give yourself a 5-10 minute break every now and then. Maybe take that little nap – but set the alarm and don’t sleep the day away.
- Exercise – if you’re sick, you don’t want to do a lot of heavy work, but a walk around the block will perk you up and keep your blood pumping.
- Treat what’s wrong – if you need medication, go ahead and take it instead of trying to tough things out. The same goes for a trip to the doctor if it’s warranted.