I would posit that it could be totally normal and healthy to "get into a rut" every now and then. I tend to be pretty obsessive about the interests I pursue, an

I would posit that it could be totally normal and healthy to "get into a rut" every now and then. I tend to be pretty obsessive about the interests I pursue, and my productivity comes in waves with high crests and low troughs. I've found that sometimes my brain just needs a break from a certain activity. I'm thankful to have a job where my activities can vary pretty widely from day to day (security and compliance), although I also think I've brought that situation about myself due to my work habits (which usually consist of intense periods of focusing on one thing until I get results, followed by a period of relative quiet / lower productivity, followed by intense action on a new front). If the first thing an employer saw was my low productivity phase, they very well might fire me before they got to see me kick an uncommon amount of ass. We all move at a different pace, and it's important to step back and survey your productivity from a birds eye view. It's totally okay to have off days, and even off weeks, as long as your overall output is good.