It’s a pretty silly image, isn’t it—someone trying to draw water from an empty well? Surely nobody would be that dumb? However, that’s also what happens when you try to keep drawing from your mind without new experiences (and adequate rest) to allow it to refill itself.
Writers who are very concerned with being productive can be workaholics just as easily as managers.
If you drive yourself too hard, you will burn out. That will be a huge waste of time, as well as a distressing event for you and those around you.
The solutions include:
- Taking regular vacations (even weekends away are good)
- Taking the time to have new experiences
- Changing your routines from time to time
- Meeting new people
- Listening to music
- Getting adequate sleep (why not take note of your dreams, too?)
For you as a writer these have the advantage of all being grist for your mill as well as refreshing mind and body.
(For more strategies on being productive, get my book, "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done," published by Pearson. You can get it now from Amazon and other online and offline booksellers.)