Finding balance and losing momentum when you need a break

The balance between rest, productivity and guilt is a tricky one. I am a pretty motivated and determined person most of the time and tend to work hard and put  in the hours both in and out of the studio. I also juggle like a maniac most of my working weeks and am up very early most days, working before I go out to work. Rest time is a precious commodity and having suffered severe burnout in the past, I know that I have to pace myself and prioritise my health. The terms can be long and teaching 14 weeks straight requires some time off, especially when I have not had a proper holiday in over 5 years.

Knowing one needs to rest and taking that rest and then feeling unproductive is a familiar feeling to me as I rarely rest. I try to take at least one afternoon off a week away from household chores and work, so when I get a chunk of time, the tightrope of creating versus resting (which is what I should be doing) is a tricky one to navigate. Having actually taken some rest time and feeling very unproductive, today is a typical example where I get to nearly 6pm and feel the need to switch on the laptop and do something useful.

I look back at my work rate over the last few months and although a lot of hours have been put in, there seems little to show and so I find myself Googling articles on how to up my work rate in the studio for when I return after the Xmas break. It is like running a constant marathon at high speed with multiple demands and deadlines. So, although I feel bad about my lack of recent productivity, which leaves me feeling stagnant and uninspired, I also know that I need this stillness before I go back to the next 14 week slog. I am sure my creative mojo will return and I will pick back up the thread of my creativity and productivity as soon as I start doing again.