One thing that’s always been a challenge for me is taking breaks when I’m practicing something I love. After I get warmed up and find my rhythm, I want to keep practicing until I’m worn out. That works well when I’m on a roll and am doing exceptionally well, but it can be counterproductive if I’m tired, in pain, or otherwise struggling. That’s when I remind myself that taking a short break is the best thing I can do in that moment to improve.
I try to take regular breaks whether I’m doing something that challenges me physically or mentally. For example, if I pause to get a drink or catch my breath while I’m juggling, that gives my arms a chance to relax, which allows me to make more accurate throws and juggle for longer when I start back up. Similarly, taking some time away from a blog post I’m writing often feels like removing a blockage in my stream of consciousness so that the ideas can flow more smoothly. In both cases, a break gives my body a chance to settle down and my subconscious some space to process everything; the result is that I get a boost that makes whatever I’m doing easier and less frustrating.
The ideas of working as hard as you can and not stopping until you accomplish your goal are still pretty common, so that may be why some people find it difficult to moderate their efforts and end up either going overboard or putting in little to no effort. I suspect that some people get frustrated and give up before they learn something new or get better at something they can already do because they’re trying too hard. I’ve seen this many times in juggling: someone is working on learning to juggle, they’re making good progress, and then they get ahead of themselves and decide to quit. Whenever they take a few minutes to rest before resuming their practice, they always do better. So if you’re having trouble with a particular task, walk away from it for a few minutes and then try it again. That may be just what you need to push through a sticking point and move closer to where you want to be.