Have you ever had writers block so bad that you weren’t able to get a track started for weeks? Anytime you feel like you’re in a situation like this, imposter syndrome can hit you HARD. You might even be in this situation right now.
One of the best solutions to solving this issue is to simply take a break. Today, I’m going to share with you some of the best strategies for taking a break as EDM producers that will help fuel your creativity.
Taking a Break as EDM Producers by Taking a Day Off
Producing is much like having a full time job. You would not be happy if you had to work 7 days a week without a day off. Producing should be the same.
Take 1 day a week that you won’t do anything at all but rest and relax. This is one of the best ways for taking a break as EDM producers
This day should be sacred to you. Only do things that help you recover. This is essential for taking a break as EDM producers.
Don’t workout, play stressful video games, or watch crazy dramatic movies/TV shows. All of these things raise your adrenaline, create stress, and put your mind in a constant frenzy.
Think about the last time you truly took a day to just recover. If you’re like me, it might have been YEARS. That means that your mind was never flipped off. It was never given the proper time it needed to process everything you’ve been doing for the past week, months, or even years.
Allowing your mind to rest and process things in the background while you recover, will astronomically increase productivity over time.
Not only will you be more productive, but you’ll feel better. You’ll be in a better mood, you’ll be more creative, and you’ll be ready to take on more challenging and complicated tasks.
Give your body the time it needs to relax and rejuvenate. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can get back to being creative!
If you want to dive deep in on your rejuvination day, I highly recommend the Waking Up with Sam Harris app. This is the perfect app for guided meditation for beginners or advanced meditators!
Stop Forcing Yourself to Write
One of my biggest issues as a producer was always forcing myself to write. I made myself go in the studio and didn’t leave until I had something. All this did was create stress, self-doubt, and block the creativity that was locked in my mind.
It got so bad for me that I had to start seeing a therapist.
I doubted myself so much that I started seeing everything as a failure in my life. It created horrible anxiety and thoughts that I would never become anything.
It wasn’t until I took a step back that I realized how much I’ve truly accomplished.
This brought on the thought of just stepping away from it all. I stopped producing and forcing myself in the studio, and worked on other business needs.
Now similar to taking a day off, I ultimately took a whole month off. This might seem drastic but it did WONDERS. This should be done if you’re in dire need for taking a break as EDM producers.
I stopped looking at things as failures, I started to take better care of myself and my mental health. I didn’t feel like if I wasn’t in the studio, I was losing time. Instead, I created more productive time, it allowed me to find the creativity I so desperately wanted.
Eventually, I got an itch. It’s an indescribable one. But, it’s one that would pop in my head and I would just think, “Ok I don’t know why, but I need to go write music.” I just felt something in me that was calling to write.
On the few occasions I’ve stopped producing, and waited for this itch, I always wrote the BEST track I’d ever written.
Instead of forcing the creativity out, I let it come naturally. This is one of the keys to effectivley taking a break as EDM producers.
Now I would still go in to try and write things every now and then without the itch, but I wouldn’t go in with a goal in mind. I had no expectations. I would just do it to see what would happen. Sometimes I would get results, other times I wouldn’t.
In those times, I would switch over to a different creative task. I would work on sound design, create drum loops, sound FX, sweeps, risers etc.
This would also help influence different ideas for tracks.
If you’re stuck in a rut, it might be best to completely stop for a while. Wait for that itch. You’ll know when it comes, and you’ll be happy when it does!
Conclusion
If you’re feeling stressed out, or if you just can’t get any ideas out, it’s probably time for a break. The first thing you should implement, before you walk away, is a simple day off. Take 1 day out of your week where you avoid anything that has to do with music. Relax, rejuvenate, and don’t stress yourself off.
If that doesn’t help, stop forcing yourself to write. Completely walk away for a week, a month, or until you get that itch. Whichever comes first. Lastly, remember, it’s ok to take a break!