For the past decade, I’ve balanced a creative day job with a creative night job. On the surface, it seems like a good thing. I like marketing and I like writing, and there’s a lot of crossover between day and night jobs that would make you think I get to do what I love all day.

Yes, it’s true. I get to use the parts of my brain I enjoy using. However, sometimes it can come at a price. After a long day, week, or month of campaign development and content writing, you can feel like you’ve used up all your writing mojo.

Here are my three tips for overcoming burnout:

1. Get Active

Physical movement helps to mark a clear divider in my day. I can leave the stress of work, and those trailing thoughts on unread emails and tomorrow’s projects, at the gym or on my walk. A 30-minute buffer of time is all you need to reset yourself for a night of writing.

2. Take a Mental Break 

It’s ok to put the laptop down when you need to. One night a week, I try to avoid social media and screen time. It helps break up the constant stimulus I’m subjected to all day, leaving me more refreshed the next morning. I like to do activities that clear my mind and/or rest my eyes. Audiobooks are a solid bet for a mental break!

3. Be Kind To Yourself

You will not always have the energy to spend after a long day. It’s a given. There are days at work where your word count is a middle grade novel and your eyes can’t make out letters anymore. If you took your walk, tried a mental break, and still feel drained, it’s best to let yourself regroup. It doesn’t make you a bad writer. It makes you human. Being harsh on yourself can give you a wicked bad case of imposter syndrome. Know that tomorrow, when you feel refreshed, you’ll be back at it.

And if these tips aren’t working, wine. Sometimes you just need a $7 bottle of Rose from the Bi-Rite.