You may or may not have heard of decision fatigue, but you have no doubt felt it. Decision fatigue refers to the exhaustion we feel after making so many large and small decisions over the course of the day.

Those in positions which involve more decision-making are of course more prone to this phenomenon. A 2011 study found that judges were likely to deliver harsher rulings later in the day. 

​But decision fatigue impacts everyone. Think about how many decisions you make every day. What to wear, what to eat for breakfast, how you want your coffee, whether to stop for gas, how to greet your coworkers, which task to start first, what language to use in an email... The list goes on.
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Why do we need to compare writing to Star Wars? Well, we don't . . . technically. Then again, we don't technically need coffee or puppies either, but I bet if I handed you a fresh cup of dark roast and a Labrador pupper, you wouldn't turn them down. So writers, please enjoy the Star Wars GIFs.

​"I'm not a real writer."

​Sounds familiar, right? Anyone who has spent time writing or in the company of writers have likely said this or heard someone else say it. "I'm not good enough to call myself a writer. I'm not published. I'm not like [insert name of famous author here]."

​According to Merriam-Webster, "The term 'impostor syndrome' can be traced to a 1978 article by the American psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, 'The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention.'"

​A quote from their article:

​Writers see ourselves everywhere. Buffy the Vampire Slayer may not be about writers per se, but it has its moments.

Whether we’re trying to network, sell books, share expertise, or simply connect with other writers and readers, many fiction writers turn to blogging. It’s a natural move. We write—it’s what we do. (Anyone else read that in the GEICO voice?) But fiction writers face an unexpected challenge when it comes to blogging: writing in our own voice.

Writing is a mentally depleting task, and we work ourselves silly. After a fifteen-thousand-word week, we can feel like we’ve been hit by a truck—an eighteen-wheeler carrying a load of bricks.

And while reaching for the coffee might us feel better for a moment, it’s not the fix we need. Don’t get me wrong, I love coffee. But taking care of ourselves and our bodies is the number-one most important thing we can do for our writing.

If our bodies are not functioning at one hundred percent, our minds won’t be. And our creativity and productivity will both suffer.
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Here are a some simple ways to boost energy levels and fuel your writing.

Like most writers, I don’t see myself as someone toiling away the days, trying to advance the career ladder. I’m not looking for the corner office or the huge paycheck. I’m following my passion. If I’m not writing, I want to be writing.

So I’m usually writing.

It’s as simple as that.
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Except it’s not. Recently, my family has expressed concern that I’m working too much. But I’m not, I said. I’m doing what I love.