Take A Break

As I write this, my wife Abigail and I are busily planning a vacation to my home state of Illinois for some much needed R&R and to meet up with friends and family we have not seen in a few years. I have set our Twitch stream on a brief hiatus, notified my clients that our regular game will be taking a short break, turned off my notifications, and will be trying to disconnect as much as possible. This all got me thinking of the importance of taking a break from your D&D Campaigns. 

Taking a week or two off for a vacation allows us to recharge, come back with fresh ideas, and to polish up our existing ideas. It also allows us to focus on something other than our campaigns and worldbuilding. We can unplug and be at rest [or play] and in this way we avoid burning out. The font of creativity is only so deep and we must give it time to refill as we recharge. 

If ever you find that you’re struggling to maintain the spark in your campaign or that you don’t feel as creative as in days past, I recommend a break. Even though running a campaign is a ton of fun, it can take a lot out of you too—because it is hard work. You should never feel guilty for needing to take a small step back for a few days. Take long walks to recuperate. Read some of that fantasy fiction that has been collecting dust in your TBR pile. If inspiration strikes while you are on vacation (and it very well might), I recommend taking along a small notebook that you can use to jot down a quick note that can be flushed out later. Your focus is to refresh, enjoy the company of those around you, and to eat, drink, and be merry.

So rest well, friends; we shall return from our sabbatical rested and refreshed and ready to continue providing y’all with awesome content!

‘Til then, take heart!

Karington Hess

Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games