The importance of taking creative breaks & why stepping back can propel you forward

I hope you're all doing well and feeling inspired. Today, let's dig into something essential yet often overlooked—taking creative breaks.

The Science Behind Creative Breaks

You know that feeling when you've been staring at a blank canvas or a design layout for hours, and the ideas just aren't flowing?

It's not you; it's your brain saying, "Hey, I need a break!"

Neuroscience suggests that your brain has two modes—focused and diffused. While the focused mode is crucial for actively working on tasks, the diffused mode works in the background, helping to connect the dots and solve problems.

Dr. Barbara Oakley, co-creator of the popular Coursera course "Learning How to Learn," explains it like this:

"When you're focusing, you're actually blocking your access to the diffuse mode. And the diffuse mode, it turns out, is what you often need to be able to solve a very difficult, new problem."

In a study published in the journal "Cognition," researchers found that brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve focus and performance. 

The study showed that participants who took short breaks during a 50-minute task performed significantly better than those who worked straight through.

Real-Life Examples

How does this manifest in my daily creative practice? A few ways.

During my day job, I often take small 15 minute breaks from whatever task is at hand. The moment I feel myself slowing down or feeling unmotivated to complete it, I stop.

I turn around in my chair, pull up to my art desk, and do something. This might be a quick charcoal sketch, painting part of an active project, or whipping out the iPad and drawing digitally.

I used to feel really guilty about doing this, feeling like I wasn’t doing my job. But I’ve learned over the years that it does recharge me and helps me follow through and complete whatever task I took the break from. 

These day job breaks are great for my art practice, too. Even though I’m taking a break from work, I’m still working on something worthwhile. 

Now I’m not preaching that you should just take a break from work with more work. You do what helps you. 

I few other types of breaks I take:

Walk the dog, walk to the mailbox, go grab a coffee, take a trip for the weekend, or do some work in the garden. I’ve experimented over the years to find the things that recharge me during different times of the year. 

The key is to find what works for you. Try different things and reflect on how they made you feel.

Procrastination to Pragmatism

My brain loves breaks… Sometimes too much. What do I mean?

When I take breaks on high priority, time sensitive projects, it could be seen as wasting time. Sometimes I will let these thoughts win for a while. But they don’t.

Why?

Because it lights a fire under my ass to get the job done quicker after. 

This ticking time bomb constraint is powerful for me. It can take me from trying to focus on perfection all the time to solving the problem at hand pragmatically, with just enough. 

This might not be a good thing but it is how my brain works after all these years of doing deadline driven work. 

Practical Tips: Planning for Creative Breaks

Prioritize:
Recognize the value of taking breaks and make them a priority. Put them in your schedule if you have to!

Guilt-Free Zone:
Many of us feel guilty for stepping back, especially when deadlines are breathing down our necks. But remember, the break is a part of the creative process, not an interruption.

Set Boundaries:
When taking a break, actually break. Try to disconnect from work-related activities. The quality of your break matters.

Experiment and Observe:
Take different kinds of breaks and observe what works best for you. Some people find that a quick jog reinvigorates their creative spirit, while others may need an hour of reading. Your optimal break is as unique as you are.

Taking the First Step

For those of you hesitant to put down the brush, step away from the keyboard, or whatever your craft calls for, remember this: 

Progress isn't just about forward movement. 

Sometimes, it's about knowing when to pause, reflect, and then leap forward with renewed vigor.

If you've been grinding away without much to show for it, maybe it's time to try something counterintuitive. 

Take a break.

You might be surprised at how it clears the fog, allowing you to see the path ahead with newfound clarity.

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Until next time, keep creating and don't forget to give yourself the breaks you deserve.

Cheers,
Crawdad

P.S. Need help with your own creative practice or projects, book a chat with me. I’m an open book and will answer any questions you have in our 20 minutes together. 

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