I’m a creative person running a creative business, so you might think I get my fix of creativity through my everyday work. And I do, to a point. I spend my days designing and printing stationery, and I get to work with some wonderful couples and business owners. I genuinely love what I do… but sometimes I forget to save a bit of creative time for myself.
A couple of years ago I started taking a bit of me-time each week, and that was usually a trip to my favourite local café, to sip a coffee and read a good book. I really enjoyed that time. Even though it was just a couple of hours on a Friday afternoon, it offered a change of scenery and a little space away from whatever was happening in the studio.
And lately, things have been busy with work and I’ve found myself craving a bit of creative time just for me. Just because.
Creativity with direction
With client work, there’s a purpose to what I’m making. I start with a client brief, we make decisions together, and I work towards creating a finished piece. My creativity has a direction.
When something you love becomes your main source of income, your relationship with it can change. There are deadlines, budgets and expectations to think about. Add in all the other things that keep a business running, and it’s easy to reach the end of the week with very little time or energy left to make something for yourself.
I talked about this in episode two of Seasons in Business, From hobby to business — without losing your passion: how we can stay connected to the enjoyment that drew us to something in the first place, as it becomes part of our working life.
Making things just because
It’s so easy, when creativity becomes your work, to start asking all of your ideas to be useful. Could this become something for the shop? Would it make a good photograph? Is there a way to bring it into the business?
But I want to leave that question unanswered on purpose. I’d like to save some time and creative energy for my own curiosity, and try things simply because they look fun.
I like the thought of putting pen or pencil to paper without worrying about how it will turn out. If I don’t like the result, I can turn the page and try something else. There’s a freedom in letting an idea be just an idea, without worrying about what it could become.
I asked Rhiannon Adler, who previously wrote a guest post here about how slowing down can inspire creativity, to share a few thoughts on this question: what can making things for ourselves give us when creativity is also our work?
“It often feels more "allowed" or acceptable to spend time on creativity when it’s related to our work and making an income, but it’s so important to make time for your own creativity as well - however that looks for you.
Creating for yourself can lower stress, help you feel more relaxed and improve your overall health and wellbeing - there’s lots of research now showing this to be true (check out Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt if you’re interested). Creativity moves you out of your head and into your hands, allowing you to process your thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a way that connects you deeply to yourself and your inner wisdom in a way nothing else can. It can be a calm anchor back to yourself in a busy world. It can offer you a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction at a life fully lived. And it can also just be... fun!”
Following my curiosity
With that in mind, I’ve decided to schedule one day each month to do something creative. I’m still working out what this will mean, but I’m thinking it could be getting my hands dirty with paint and ink, trying a new craft, or taking a trip to a gallery — anything that leaves me feeling inspired.
Don’t worry, café visits will always have a place too because I enjoy them. Maybe these days can hold different things, depending on what I’m drawn to: sometimes a book, sometimes a sketchbook, sometimes a bit of both.
My first creative day happened last month, when I joined an outdoor workshop with a small group of local creatives. We sat around a fire, drinking tea and journalling, and it was wonderful.
I know I’d love to spend more time outdoors. It’s been years since I’ve done any kind of sketching outside, in nature, so I want to give it a go (fully aware that I’ve probably picked the worst time of year, but we’ll see what happens). I want to observe colours and shapes, patterns and light.
A safe space to play
I’m not entirely sure why, but I keep being drawn to a sketchbook format. Maybe because sketchbooks feel familiar and like a safe space to experiment and play?
I’ve worked in sketchbooks for years, always starting there with new ideas. But where the pages were once filled with colour and happy accidents, these days they tend to be more monochrome and functional. I’d love to bring some of that colour and playfulness back.
So I’m planning to buy some new paints and pastels and get started! I don’t have a particular project in mind; I’m curious about what might happen if I give myself the time.
I’d like to see where a sketchbook might take me. And I’m reminding myself that a sketchbook page can just be a sketchbook page.
If creativity is part of your working life too, do you find yourself wanting to make things just for yourself? I’d love to hear what you’re drawn to.
