How do you overcome burnout in historical research?

Have multiple projects and rotate between them. Have one of them be outside your usual area of expertise. For example, as a maritime historian with an interest in ship and boat building technologies centered on the American and European traditions, I might explore Polynesian techniques. Or perhaps explore tidal mills and other pre-industrial technology.

It is totally true, and for me, there are two steps to a fresh and motivated restart; 1- I stay away from it for a very short time. 2- I start a hobby like a movie or novel, related to the time period of the research. My mind starts to automatically relate events in the movie/novel and becomes curious to follow the research again.

Take some time for yourself and get outside. Play a sport, go for a hike, work in the garden, sit in the sun... Fresh air and some Vitamin D can work wonders, while getting out and moving is the best way I have found to counteract hours spent at a desk or in front of a computer. Try not to think about your research and just enjoy time away.

Good question. I am afraid I do not know when I am close to having used up $350,000 investment in my not-for-profit business and when the state and the profiteering sections of the communities want me to fail, and they want the barriers to remain.

True, although in my work historical research comes alongside various other everyday work tasks. So often the burnout comes from trying to find quiet time where I can sit, think and follow a train of thought before the next interruption. I've had to push harder to get it finished and fend off the ever increasing to-do list in the meantime! Having said that I've recently recognised I need to be more ruthless in what makes it to the list to help prevent burn out in the future.

Resting is a vital part of effective production in any endeavor. No matter how exciting that project is, it is essential to work at a measured, steady pace rather than simply sprinting to the finish line. Crafting a schedule is thus crucial in developing an effective workplan. I often find some of my best ideas emerge when I have stepped away and given my thoughts a chance to reset. When taking a break, you should really take a break and not just replace one labor with another. When it is time to rest, rest: the project will still be there when you return.

It’s important to understand that one can only be productive if they are taking time for themselves every once in a while to de-stress and focus on themselves by doing something to relax. Do something that you enjoy to take your mind off of the research you’ve been focusing on, which allows your mind to declutter.

Remember history is not going anywhere or is urgent in any way. I did a whole biography over 12 years in little bits. It took a while to percolate and that’s OK. Ultimately if you put data into a timeline the story almost writes itself. Best to get things right than to be hasty. Remember Miracle Max from the Princess Bride, rush history and get bad history!

"And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done." - Genesis 2:2 For fellow Christians, if God took a break after creation, don't you think you deserve a break too? I will reiterate the importance of knowing yourself. Everyone performs at their own ops tempo and once you know your own, you can plan breaks accordingly. It doesn't matter if you work long durations with infrequent long breaks or if you work a short amount of time with frequent short breaks. As long as your goal/product is achieved within the necessary timeframe, you have succeeded.

Research can be very draining but also stressful, and that’s why it’s important to seek support from other people in the field who might be able to help us along our journey.

Aside from getting different perspectives, which in itself can be benficial, by communicating with others, you might be saving yourself from "reinventing the wheel." There might be a chance that the work you're doing has either already been done or that someone else is working on the same/similar topic which could prove mutually beneficial.

We can be very ambitious as researchers, and that’s why it’s important to always re-examine our goals as we progress along our journey, in order to omit what is unrealistic. This allows us to focus on what we are actually able to do, therefore reducing stress and increasing the feeling of satisfaction with one’s research.

Reevaluating your goals can help you to realize unforseen problems within the research process. Perhaps your initial research question was too vague or broad, it may be beneficial to then limit the scope of your research and save the information outside of the scope of your current project for your next one.

One of the most effective ways to combat burnout is to limit overexposure by having multiple projects on varying timelines. These projects should have differing requirements and importance; maybe it's a new course you want to craft or a new article. You might have some ongoing research that is purely for personal gain or enjoyment. When you develop your project plan, structure your activities with breaks and diversions in mind. Divide each day into a variety of activities including some time to try something new. We all have deadlines to meet, but a steady, measured approach generates far better results than rushing to completion. Working for 72 hours straight is not the same as working nine 8-hour days!

In writing narrative nonfiction, hitting a burnout point is inevitable. When that happens I look at a different aspect to research/write. I never write in chronological order, which also helps. History/biography/narrative nonfiction is like a jigsaw puzzle. You know what you want the big picture to look like. Your writing is creating the pieces. Editing sees how they fit together, where to move things around, and what works. Hence, if you get stuck on one aspect of your research and/or writing, give it a break and take on a different piece of that metaphorical manuscript jigsaw puzzle.

Remember there is no such thing as luck in historical research. Knowing how to put yourself in a position to be lucky (a potential to find great sources) is a valuable skill. Never ever devalue your skills by attributing them to luck or a lack of skill. What you do is skilled and highly trained.

Remember that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed every now and then. It happens. Nobody is perfect, no matter how much we like to claim to be. As researchers, we must look inwards and prioritise self-care because it can be easy to get distracted and neglect our wellbeing. Take care of yourself and enjoy the research.

The hardest learned lesson in my experience is realizing the necessity of breaks. It is better for the work to be delayed slightly due to resting, than to run the risk of it never being completed because you became too burnt out.