I’ve just returned from a week away from home. Not a vacation, as such.

My computer and all that goes with it came along with me. And I attended to it every morning at the villa where we lodged. I may in fact have done even more work than usual.

Yet it was refreshing simply to be in another environment.

My day at home is made up of writing and all that goes with it (editing, marketing, blogging, social media), house chores, running, music (arranging, singing, listening) and cooking. Other things happen, of course, but not as consistently.

When I was away, my day consisted of writing and all that goes with it, and running. I was able to leave my house chores, music, and cooking behind. But that’s not what refreshed me. Somehow, doing the same things in a different place did that.

Once I began my writing career I thought I would not need a vacation. I would, after all, be doing the things I most enjoy.  But now I realize I was wrong. A writer must stay fresh to generate fresh ideas.  A change in environment, no matter how brief, can help unclog the mind and open it to new ideas.