If You Never Step Away From the Screen, Your Creativity Will Fade Fast
How a Scottish Break Reminded Me to Rest Daily (Not Just on Holiday)
My Medium friends can read this article over there as well.
As writers, we trick ourselves into thinking the only way to get better is to stay glued to the page.
But in truth, creativity doesn’t work like that. It needs space, stillness, and a change of scenery to breathe.
I was reminded of this after spending two weeks in Scotland with my family.
The first week was in the Highlands, staying in a lovely boathouse on a loch - kayaking, swimming and walking in the mountains - plus the occasional pint in the local pub.
The second week, we drove east to the coastline of East Lothian, near North Berwick, where empty wide beaches invite you to go swimming.
We stayed in a pretty farm cottage - and when not walking, cycling and snorkelling - we also enjoyed an occasional pint in another local pub (see the pattern here!).
For those two weeks, my phone lived mostly in my bag - not least because the 4G went down in a Highland storm in the first week.
There were no screens in sight, and I found myself simply having fun and enjoying life.
It was bliss.
And when I came back home to my desk, the words flowed freely again.
The Real Breakthrough Wasn’t the Holiday
Sure, a break helps.
But if you’re only giving yourself permission to step away from screens when you’re officially on your hols, you’re missing the point.
The real magic isn’t in the two weeks. It’s in the daily habit of giving your brain a break.
If you’re anything like me, when you chain yourself to the process of writing, editing, tweaking, and posting - you end up running on fumes.
You mistake busy work for progress.
And before you know it, you’re staring at the same sentence for 10 minutes, wondering why everything you write sounds, well, crap.
Step Away to Step Ahead
So here’s what Scotland reminded me:
You need to make space every single day for ideas to arrive. Not just once or twice a year when recharging your batteries on holiday.
So how do you do that in the middle of your normal, chaotic life?
1. Schedule short, screen-free bursts
Even 10 minutes is enough. No phone, no laptop—just a walk around the block or a sit in the garden. Think of it like pulling your head above water to breathe. Above all, get off those screens!
2. Change your view to change your mind
Move to a different room. Go to a café. Stand at the window. Your brain craves novelty, it’s your fuel for new ideas.
Again, get off that screen!
3. Work in creative sprints
Set a timer for 25–30 minutes, write like mad, then stop. Then yes, you've got it - step away from that screen.
Let your subconscious chew on what you're writing while you do something else. That’s when the best ideas sneak up on you.
Because if you never actually do step away from the screen, you’ll burn out long before you build the writing business you want.
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