Slave to the Rhythm?
Understand the importance of personal rhythm. Time to wander, wonder and stare. Just stare…
The Creative Prescription is a newsletter that explores how everyday creativity can improve our well-being and help us live a more mindful life; one that counteracts the ping, dings and distractions of modern-day living.
At 11am I drink coffee.
At 3pm I drink tea.
Literally, I can set the clock by my daily devotion to these caffeinated drinks.
I think it comes from tireless days of boring jobs and mundane routines with young children, back in the day. These drinks acted as ritual rewards to neverending routines.
I’ve been conditioned to crave these rewards and I feel bereft if I don’t get them at the allotted time.
The c-word
And there’s that word I’ve come to dislike - conditioning. This a topic that has presented itself in a number of conversations I’ve had lately too.
Our society has ingrained in us that the 9 to 5 work structure is the most productive and efficient way to operate. From a very young age, we are exposed to this concept through our educational systems and societal norms. But is it possible, no, essential that we start to advocate for a more fluid approach to our day, one that allows us to tap into our individual rhythms and creativity?
The 9 to 5 work model (yaaaawwwwnnn!) was initially designed to suit the needs of the industrial era, where routine and consistency were essential for mass production. While it may be suitable for certain people and professions, it often fails to accommodate an individual's productivity, energy levels, and creative peaks.
I believe that’s one reason I’ve never been able to fit the mould in many corporate settings. I’m basically unemployable in a traditional sense! Which for years, made me feel like a bit of a failure, to be honest. I would often question why I found it so damn hard to fit in.
A call to artistic arms
As artists, you and me, we understand the importance of being in the right frame of mind to create meaningful and impactful work. Our creativity is not a faucet that we can turn on and off at will; it's a delicate and often unpredictable process that requires space and freedom. Time to ponder, time to think.
In fact my fellow artistic friends, I believe we, the outliers, the odd-balls, the un-boxable outcasts, are the ones who have been right all along! We understand the importance of personal rhythm. Time to wander, wonder and stare. Just stare…
Embracing a more fluid approach to work means recognising your own personal rhythms and identifying when you are at your best.
Some of you might find you work best in short bursts, while others prefer longer, uninterrupted stretches of time.
For some, you’re a lark and are best in the early morning hours, while for others, the owls, you’re best late at night. And there are all of the variants in between.
What is crucial is you respect your own individual differences. Design your day as best you can.
Bringing flexibility into your day:
Allows you to tap into your peak productivity and creativity, resulting in higher-quality work.
It also helps reduce burnout and stress, as you are not constantly forcing yourself to conform to a rigid structure that might not align with your natural tendencies.
Moreover, a more fluid approach to work can foster a healthier work-life harmony.
As artists and creative people, we have the unique opportunity to challenge societal norms and lead by example. I know many aren’t in this privileged position but hey we have to try right? We have to make it OK to not be slaves to the corporate rhythm.
Let us advocate for a culture that celebrates individuality, creativity, and self-awareness, as this is how we (whether we consider ourselves creative or not) can ALL truly unleash our full life potential and contribute meaningfully to the world around us.
Stay creative
Georgie x
💫 Inspiration to Draw On
📚 Book Recommendation
Learn and be inspired by some of the greatest artists, outliers and non-conformers in history in this fascinating book Letters of Note: Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience.
I find it particularly fascinating to see their actual handwriting, typed correspondence and signatures - it brings us closer to them somehow.
From Virginia Woolf's heart-breaking suicide letter to Queen Elizabeth II's recipe for drop scones sent to President Eisenhower; from the first recorded use of the expression 'OMG' in a letter to Winston Churchill, to Gandhi's appeal for calm to Hitler; and from Iggy Pop's beautiful letter of advice to a troubled young fan, to Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable job application letter, Letters of Note is a celebration of the power of written correspondence which captures the humour, seriousness, sadness and brilliance that make up all of our lives.
🎨 Get Creative
🎵 Music to Move Your Pencil To
Grace Jones, a perfect example of an outlier, unconformist. Take inspiration, unhook yourself from the machine and sway to the rhythm instead…
✍️ Creative Prescription - Spiral Drawing Meditation
Last week I shared my first creative prescription - spiral drawing meditation - yay finally! I’m excited to get this project up and running. At the moment, I’ll be posting new exercises every couple of weeks.
Have a go and let me know how you get on, I’d love to get your feedback and see what you create.
🧑🎨 Workshops & Events
Thursday 27th July from 7:30 pm, Free Summer Drink & Draw Meet-up with Flock Brighton Illustrator Group at The West Hill Tavern
Grab your pens, pencils and sketchbook and join Flock - Brighton Illustrators Group - for an informal free creative ‘Drink & Draw’ meet-up at The West Hill Tavern (only 2 minutes from Brighton Station). Non-members welcome.
💬 And Finally…A Quote to Live By
Hunter S. Thompson was 20 and still in the U.S. Air Force when, in April 1958, he wrote this for his friend Hume Logan who asked for life advice…
“Beware of looking for goals: look for a way of life. Decide how you want to live and then see what you can do to make a living within that way of life.”
~ Hunter S Thompson, Writer and journalist
Read the full letter that Hunter S Thomspon also from the fantastic Letters of Note substack.
Thanks for reading. For more, I draw botanical-inspired illustrations and keep a library of creative exercises for you to try instead of scrolling on your phone.
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