Writing is one of the most important forms of communication and has been pertinent in allowing academics to: share their ideas, engage in critical thinking and collaborate with other academics. Sometimes as writers we can encounter various blockers, one of them being complete burn-out. Fortunately, we know that there are ways to ensure we limit the effects of burn-out when we write. 

Admit you’re burned-out. 

Prevention is better than cure and the best way to prevent something is knowing when it is coming. It is important to acknowledge when you are starting to feel overwhelmed and exhausted, it is even more important to know that once you have recognised that, it is okay to take a step back and recharge.  

Prioritise self-care. 

Don’t forget to take care of yourself and your mind.  

• Take a break; go for a walk, partake in a relaxing hobby or stimulate your mind with a creative activity.  
• Adjust your schedule; consider shortening your writing sessions or having longer/more frequent breaks.  
• Set boundaries; figure out where you start hitting a mental block and define your working hours accordingly. 

Get some help. 

It’s okay to get some help, in fact getting help can be incredibly liberating. Whether that is collaborating with fellow academics or using reference management software.  

Mendeley can help you simplify your workflow. With many features that can aid writers at every stage; it not only helps users organise, and easily locate, their references in Mendeley Reference Manager, it also saves users time with its seamless citing capabilities via Mendeley Cite.

Remember, a healthy writer is a productive writer, and Mendeley is happy to help; download Mendeley Reference Manager and Mendeley Cite today to see how they make writing simple.