When you find yourself bogged down in the manufacturing side of creativity, turn to #7 in Mau's manifesto and rethink the Stu-stu-dio:

7. Study
A studio is a place of study. Use the necessity of production as an excuse to study. Everyone will benefit.

How this Relates to Songwriting

Whether it's practicing scales or tweaking the low-pass filter on that vocal for the 23rd time, it's tempting to push ahead for the sake of getting it done. That might be the right thing to do in some circumstances, but it shuts down any chance of learning, of delving more thoroughly into your craft. Instead, study your environment – and yourself. You'll ease the press of time on your psyche (making you oh-so-much more pleasant to be around ;-) and invite the muse of discovery to boot.