However, this can often lead to burnout and even create an even bigger gap in achieving work-life balance that works for you.
Secure your energy. Joli Jensen, author of Write No Matter What, writes, “Protecting writing energy is key to academic productivity, but very few of us have learned how to work with–rather than just use up–our creative powers.” Sometimes, academic writers feel that they need to exhaust all their energy to write and to feel productive. However, this can often lead to burnout and even create an even bigger gap in achieving work-life balance that works for you. Jensen recommends noting when you feel most energetic (whether in the morning, midday, or the brief window between 3pm – 6pm, or late night) to identify the best and most productive times to write. Most of us have a natural ebb and flow to our energy levels (think of times when you still need coffee, but motivation and focus might be higher than other times), and paying attention to your energy patterns will help you maintain a regular and sustainable writing schedule.