The Importance of Creative Pause by Natalie Gray // Designer's Perspective
The one thing the last 9 months of the Covid Pandemic has allowed or enforced (depending on how you look at it) is for things to slow down and in some instances grind to a stop.
Although at first we all went into panic mode not knowing what to do with all this extra time or how we would survive, we soon began to learn that there are some massive long terms benefits to this slower pace of life.
After running a creative business for 14 years, I don’t think I had ever actually stopped, or had a significant break from all the things that running a business entails, anyone who runs a business knows that work doesn’t stop at 6pm, it can be all consuming 24/7 365 days a year. 4 years ago I was feeling the weight of this on a daily basis and had found yoga as a means of pure escapism and mental space. I took a month off to travel to India and train to be a yoga teacher as I had fallen so in love with the practice and witnessed first hand the positive impact it had on my physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. This was my first introduction to a well-earned pause and its power, and the enhanced creativity I discovered. I was allowed to stop and focus purely on myself and maybe for the first time as clichéd as it sounds get to know the real me. A full re-set, deepened thinking, open to new ideas and people, resolving problems I didn’t know existed. Letting go of the things I no longer need and making space for the new. Exploring the depths of my creativity in a completely new way.
On my return I noticed a huge shift in my approach to my work and home life, but the real challenge was to break down my old working patterns (that only lead to stress and anxiety) and start to build new more holistic creative processes, and continue to inspire my employees’ and clients but this time in a way that was more nurturing for me.
And I still continue to practice and teach yoga as a constant reminder of the things I learnt and in the hope that I can give my students the tools to also embark on this journey of welcoming in the space you don’t yet know you need.
As Business Coach Robert Poynton says in his book Do/Pause: You are not a to do list:
“With no pause or silence in a meeting, you may rattle through the agenda but, but fail to tackle the underlying issues. What other more creative and powerful conversations might you have if only you were able to let a bit of daylight into the process? What deeper questions may be raised? What other voices might you hear? Are you really thinking or are you just reacting? Is packing more in really the way to do your best work or get the most out of life?”
“Creativity is not linear. In a creative process, there is always a leap, gap or space.”
The one resounding line for me “Are you really thinking, or just reacting?” something I feel I was guilty of for a long time – just reacting.
So going back to current state of affairs, back in March 2020 we had no choice but stop, but lets re-phrase this now to “Pause”. The wheels fell off and we couldn’t do anything about it. Businesses closed, people lost jobs (and faith) and even now we maybe can’t see where this will all end.
But we also used this pause wisely – the time and space to step back and look at what really matters. For the businesses that survived - how can we work better and more conscious? For the people who lost jobs, many went back to study the things they always wanted, or start new careers and even businesses from bedrooms and kitchen tables. Spending time at home, walking, cooking, pretending to exercise, we all know how this goes!
AND Creativity was at the forefront, even if it was just how to entertain your kids for the summer holidays and home schooling. We learnt to care for each other more, because we had the space to do so. We are not machines (contrary to popular belief).
And lets hope, as we tentatively emerge from this pandemic we take these life lessons with us. As Robert Poynton said - “Allow ourselves to take a pause every now and again, as we know it can make a real and lasting difference”.
Word by
Natalie Gray, Creative Director