If you have spoken to me within the last week, you know that I am going through a major period of burnout. I’m feeling zero creativity and zero productivity. I even made a little YouTube video about this in recent days.

Ah, burnout. It’s something we will all face and struggle with at some point.

How did you decide on a major? Probably because it was something you were good at and enjoyed and thought you could do forever.

My thing is writing. I’ve been writing little stories since I was a kid, but I didn’t decide it was what I wanted to do with my life until just a couple of years ago.

I love it. So much. I get a tremendous high off of completing projects and then getting them published. I’m driven by the overwhelming sense of accomplishment I get from finishing a piece. And…honestly, I don’t know if this is straight up pride or just healthy motivation…but when people tell me that they like my writing, I want to write more. It feels good. It feels right. I enjoy it. And I don’t want to stop.

Now I’m at a point where I’m not just writing for fun. I am majoring in both history and mass media, so all of my major homework is assigned writing. I’m also taking a foreign language this year…so more writing. On top of that, I write for and maintain this blog for the Washburn Review.

Yay. Writing.

So. I’m just feeling burnt out. My creativity is at an all-time low and it’s not even October. I’m worried. I catch myself wondering how I am going to keep this up.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to stop. I really love what I do. I’m not rethinking my dreams or anything.

But I’m at a point where there is so much happening… It feels like all of these words are being ripped from my mouth and there are none left for me to say for myself.

It’s exhausting.

So what do you do when the thing you do for fun isn’t fun anymore? What do you do when it starts to feel more like a chore? How do you get your spark back for the thing that burns you out?

I usually need to take some time to refocus my energy. I have to take a break from the thing and pursue something else creatively for a little while.

Fall break is coming up this weekend and it is just what I have been needing. So, maybe I’ll focus on videos or practice my photography skills. Maybe I’ll finally get started on my ‘To Be Read’ book pile. Or…maybe I’ll just buy a new coloring book.

However I choose to spend the break, I am excited to come back refueled with energy and creativity for the thing I love to do most – write.

Thank you guys for reading this post and I’ll see you in two weeks.

Visit Katie’s blog at www.operation-adulthood-review.blogspot.com.