Most people listening to this podcast are located in the United States, so let me focus on that crowd for a second.

Part of our culture here in the U.S. is what we call the “Protestant work ethic.” Even though not everyone is religious, or even Protestant, we still abide by this standard today. The Protestant work ethic basically says that we believe the way to a more fulfilled and God-honoring life is by working ourselves to death.

Americans love, love, love to work. While many other countries take a more balanced approach to life, Americans measure themselves by how much their work and achieve. It’s true in many other parts of the world as well, but it’s especially prominent in the U.S.

This attitude carries over to our writing as well. We feel a tremendous sense of guilt if we’re not creating or producing on the level we feel we should. But is the solution to being more effective and creative just working more? Or is there another way?

Anne Lamott said, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes—including you.” What great advice. If you’re feeling burned out or tired, don’t try writing more. Try taking a nap or unwinding—anything to reset your physical, mental, and emotional thermostat.

As they say, sometimes less is more. There is no glory and honor in working yourself to death. Unplugging for a while might be the very best use of your time right now.

Daily Question: If you’re feeling burned out, what is a way you can unplug in the next 24 hours?