Giving myself a regularly scheduled break between comic chapters has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. After nearly 25 years of steady comics output I needed to do something to both give myself a much-needed breather and keep the threat of creative burnout safely away. A scheduled break that is clearly communicated to you, my wonderful readers, was the clear and obvious choice. I do not regret it at all.
But my brain has been telling me otherwise lately, in the form of incessant guilt trips.
I’m writing about this today because, thanks to a buffer of comics that allows my Patreon patrons early access to completed pages, I am currently on that regularly scheduled week-long break. The comic is updating as normal but I have a slow week that I’ve taken to rest and recharge. During the comic’s posting break, I am usually back on my normal work schedule.
So it is this week that I’m dealing with my brain being mean to me, despite the clear and obvious benefits of taking these breaks in productivity.
I think it’s a combination of many things. I suffer from Impostor Syndrome, so my brain tells me “real artists aren’t as lazy as you are, you fraud!” My wife works a day job, so the stereotype of “the layabout husband” invades my imagination as she leaves for the office and I lounge around in my pajamas. There’s also the incessant exposure to “hustle culture” or the glorification of rise-and-grind/being constantly busy, where any and all free time ought to be spent grinding away at your work or you’re wasting your time.
It’s hard to relax when your brain is trying to sabotage your downtime with nonsense like that.
But what really helps me conquer these ridiculous thoughts is the support I am shown from you fine folks. You all realize how important rest and recovery is to the creative process, and so long as I’m communicating when I’m taking a break you understand the need to step away for a spell. So thank you, all of you, for your encouragement and understanding. It keeps my brain goblins at bay as these breaks keep burnout away.