This December, I reached another milestone in my writing career. I took a vacation. Granted, it wasn't a very long vacation, but from December 22 through December 26, I didn't write a single word...unless you count shopping lists.
The time away was exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries. I spent the time with my parents and we laughed, talked, exchanged stocking gifts, watched holiday movies on TV, and even sang Christmas carols (not my dad). Did I mention that I didn't write a word?
I have to admit, though that the whole vacation concept was just a little scary for me. What if a rush job came in and I missed it? What if all my clients jumped ship and found other writers or editors?
To alleviate these fears, I took a few proactive steps to carve out the time I needed for myself; since I didn't lose a single client while I was gone, I guess my techniques worked.