Read without intention

Sometimes, you work too hard. You want to be a great writer, so everything you do becomes about your writing.

Going out with friends is a search for inspiration. Reading a recommended book becomes a study of best practices. Watching a movie is an opportunity to deconstruct a plot.

That's great to keep improving your writing, but it's also exhausting.

Don't be afraid to live without the intention of finding writing lessons in your life every now and then. Read for the entertainment of it. Have a conversation just to catch up with friends. Take a break from worrying about your writing.

You can find a lot of pleasure and a renewed comfort in writing when you take a break from making it part of all aspects of your life.