In response to the original post, one thing I noticed (I've been playing guitar now for 50 years!) is that you'll plateau for a while then suddenly you'll jump a step to the next level. at least that's what happened to me.

In the UK we have a magazine called Guitarist and the editor in the 90s was Neville Martin who referred to practising away from the guitar. It's not as silly as it sounds. I often think about what I've been playing and get ideas of doing things differently or new things to try next time I pick up the guitar. Try it - it works!