By now, even I was starting to realize I hadn't signed up for a writer's block workshop.

WSJ: Like a James Bond Flick

Immerse yourself in surroundings that evoke a more genteel era and watch treasures from the archives in the glass orangerie (modelled on Crystal Palace), silent films accompanied by live orchestration in the neo-classical drawing room or take part in a foley workshop (recording sound effects) in the crumbling stable block.

BBC: Ireland's most offbeat festivals

Ideally, you block out a half day per month for a workshop, to catch up on professional journals, to interact with people and ideas outside your day-to-day work.

FORBES: A Month-By Month Guide To Your Career In 2012