In Creative Doing, I write about the judge vs. the madman; in short, you and I have two sides to us. There’s the madman, who produces and revels in chaotic energy, and the judge, who protects us and acts as a filter. For many of us, the judge gets stronger throughout the years and the madman gets more caged up. 

The madman doesn’t always feel up to working, so when it’s inspired, it makes sense to let it run wild. If you’ve ever dropped your plans and schedule to pick up a creative project because you’re inspired, you also know what’s coming to you: a hangover. 

Not only is everything that you’ve put off still sitting there, waiting and sometimes overdue. It’s also that you’ve spent the past few hours, days, or weeks, focused on making something and taking it to the finish line. It could be small, it could be big, but whatever it is, you felt inspired and made it happen. It’s now complete. 

There’s no way through the hangover, except to nurse it and to allow the judge to slowly wake up and impose order again. 

Sometimes this happens quickly, but other times it happens slowly; like any exhaustion, all you can do is rest and recover.