Part of the reason I keep this blog is so I can keep people in the know about when things are going well or I’m working on cool stuff. But, I also want to be honest about when things aren’t going so well.
In the past few years I’ve become more aware of online performance—as in, that idea that people only put the best version of themselves online to create an idealized narrative of who they are and how things are going. We all do this to some extent when we post about great stuff (“Hey, look at my awesome vacation/car/girlfriend/boyfriend/new job/house/really cool hobby!” etc.) but don’t post about our not-so great stuff: For example, how many posts about breakups, massive debt, job loss, or lingering malaise have you seen, unless they were deliberate cries for sympathy?
I think creative people can be susceptible to this as well, especially when they shy away from talking about their setbacks online. In the long run, this can create an idealized version of the creative life, where it seems like everyone is getting life-changing publishing deals and drawing every day and getting roles in movies and putting amazing art into the world, when in reality they also have the same setbacks and low points you do.
On this blog I’ve talked about feeling depressed, getting addicted to checking email, and checking my phone too often, along with the time my novel contract got cancelled and someone I signed on to finish a creative project with jumped ship and left us in the dust, to name a few problems.
In short, bad things happen to creative people all the time, and being honest about them and learning to deal with them not only helps you grow, it can be inspiring to people who have those same problems.
What Does a Bad Day Looks Like?
I use the term “bad day” loosely here—I could be talking about a span of an hour, three days, or two weeks where my creative work life isn’t going the way I want it to and I can’t seem to stay motivated and focused.
During this time, I might stay in bed longer than I want to, scroll aimlessly through social media instead of working, or not be able to sit at the computer at all. Or maybe I am working, but the work I’m doing isn’t any good.
More importantly, though, is that on a bad day, I’ll just feel off. Like, maybe I’ve lost motivation, or I’m worried about the future, or I’m afraid my life is headed in the wrong direction.
These worries can be big or small, and I’ve gotten better at pinpointing the reasons they happen:
I’m Tired
This is a BIG one—if I don’t get enough sleep, I have a lot of trouble focusing on my work, and find myself acting sluggishly and taking far more time to complete a task than usual. This is also when I’m likely to stay in bed for a long time—which may or may not make me feel better depending on whether I can actually spend that time sleeping.
I’ve Got Outside Problems
Stress is no laughing matter—and when something’s going on outside of my creative work, it can really get to me. These outside problems can make me feel worried, distracted, and anxious, so that I dwell on them over and over throughout the day—including when I’m trying to work.
I’m Overworked or Burned Out
Burnout is especially not cool, and when I do too much work for too long without proper breaks, the aftereffects can really catch up to me. Burnout especially makes it difficult for me to write, because when my mind and body are busy with other things, I’m not able to devote the mental space to my writing and plan what I’m going to work on next, so that writing becomes a more intimidating prospect than it would otherwise.
I’ve Been Sitting at the Desk Too Long
Too much time in one spot can…get to me. Not only is it too much sitting, but I can begin to feel boxed in or claustrophobic, or like my entire life’s become about work. Recently I’ve been taking more short breaks during my desk time by simply standing up, walking around, going to the bathroom, and refilling my water glass just to give myself a quick, less than a minute break. I find that if I go too long without these micro-breaks, though, I can really start to feel down.
Bad Weather
Don’t laugh—this is real. If it’s dark and cloudy (especially in the morning!), mercilessly humid, or cold and dreary, I’m going to have a harder time focusing than if it were a bright, sunny day outside.
I’m Stuck on a Creative Project
If I’m having trouble with my novel or another creative project, that anxiety can seep into other aspects of my creative work and my life in general. I’ll find myself worrying over everything, unable to focus, and falling into a general malaise. What if I can’t be the writer I want to be???? I’ll wonder during these darker moments. What will I do in the future??
The thought that I won’t be able to make it through a creative block can really do a number on my self-esteem (as I wrote about in MFA Thesis Novel!), and even though I’ve had this happen many times and always make it through, the malaise still gets to me every single time.
How Do You Deal With Bad Days???
How I deal with a bad day problem depends on the type of problem, and how much clarity I’m able to muster to get through it. Here’s a few solutions that seem to work well, though:
Getting More Sleep/Rest Time
If I’m tired or behind on sleep, an early night or two combined with a morning of sleeping in will almost always pull me out of it. It’s amazing how well this works, and I learned long ago that it’s always more efficient to catch up on sleep first rather than working at a sluggish pace and wasting more time.
Taking a Creative Warm-Up
If I’m feeling blocked on a writing project and can’t start or pick up where I left off, I’ll do what’s called a Creative Warm-Up: I’ll read favorite passages from a novel I like, listen to uplifting songs, or just stare at the ceiling and gather my thoughts. It’s very important that all of this takes place in my office and without texting, social media, or internet surfing, since the goal is to gather my focus for pre-writing.
After a proper warm-up, if I still don’t feel ready to start an actual draft, I’ll try outlining, taking notes, or even writing down a basic summary of what I’d like to do—anything to get me started. Sometimes this pre-writing work helps me segue into writing, and sometimes it doesn’t—but it almost certainly puts me in a better space for my next writing day.
Calling it Quits Early
There’s no shame in cutting off early, and often it can really help my focus. Rather than forcing myself to work through a rough situation, I’ll step away from my desk and go do something else, like read, watch a movie, talk to a friend, or even work on physical chores. Reading and engaging with other media can especially help me win back my energy and confidence, and remind me of why I want to do creative work in the first place.
Deal With the Other Problem That’s Bothering Me
Some problems are big, and lie outside of my creative work life. In these cases, when an outside problem is causing me enough stress, I’ll take steps to deal with the problem in a concrete way to get it off my plate. For example, if my car gets a flat tire and needs to be fixed, I’ll want to get that settled as soon as possible so I know I’ll be able to drive again. Or, if I’m having a conflict with a friend, family member, or coworker, I’ll take steps to talk the problem out and resolve it so it’s not causing me stress anymore.
Bad Days Are Part of the Creative Life, But There Are Ways of Dealing With Them
If you work a Day Job or have a career where you get paid regardless of your productivity level, it’s usually not the worst thing in the world if you sit unproductively at your desk for a few hours. But for creative people who have to produce their own work, or self-employed people who get paid when they produce results, bad days can be a real detriment that hold you back from making progress and achieving your goals.
Not only does it pay to be honest about bad days with yourself and others, it can really help to recognize them when they happen so you can take steps to make things better. This will help you make more progress in the long run, and with any luck, ultimately help you have fewer bad days overall.