Hustle Culture killed my creativity 🙃 Here's what I did to get out of this trap...
I fell down the hustle culture rabbit hole. Being preached by ‘business gurus’ that I needed to work 12+ hours a day to be successful. So I tried it for myself and discovered this.
Hey, Creatives!
I’ve got a confession to make.
Hustle culture killed my creativity.
For a while, I fell down the hustle culture rabbit hole.
Being preached by ‘business gurus’ that I needed to work 12+ hours a day to be successful.
So I tried it for myself.
I sat down at my desk,
Staring at my laptop screen
Willing new ideas to come to me.
Yet nothing I came up with felt authentic or creative.
So I forced myself to take a break.
Step away from my desk and ignore the guilty feeling that I’d failed.
That’s when the ideas started to come flooding back.
Here’s how I rediscovered my creative spark & generated 100’s of new ideas.
I realised you can’t force creativity.
You have to create space for it.
Use ‘dead time’ to let your mind wander
Break free from your routine (every now & again)
Have more coffee chats ( feel free to book a chat with me here)
Creative News - What’s In & What’s Out🗞️
We’re mixing up our weekly news updates by spilling the tea on what’s in and what’s out this week. Sometimes brands miss the mark and we’re going to share our favourite and least favourite campaigns of the week.
Image credit: Creative Boom
What’s In: Mixed Media Ad by Flow with a positive message
Flow Creative, a Manchester-based studio, created a campaign highlighting the Bee Network, a developing London-style transport network for Greater Manchester. The campaign, featuring a quirky mixed-media style, will run for eight weeks over the summer on local TV, cinema, OOH, and social channels. It combines live-action film with playful animated characters, offering a fresh look for Transport for Greater Manchester. Karl from Flow Creative notes that the mixed-media approach is ideal for a family-focused campaign, blending real people with the joy of animation. The illustration style also guides the broader communications campaign, aiding designs for OOH and social media. The studio is pleased with the outcome and hopes for a long-term creative partnership.
We’re on the fence: Nike’s new AD
Image credit: Nike
The spot "Winning Isn't for Everyone" by Nike emphasises that striving for excellence is key to achieving dreams, asserting that anyone can be a winner with the right mindset. The campaign's insights came directly from Nike athletes, including LeBron James, Serena Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Qinwen Zheng, A'ja Wilson, Vini Jr., Jakob Ingebritsen, and Sha'Carri Richardson, who shared their personal definitions of winning.
It’s divided audiences on their concept and they have been challenged on some of the cultural references included in the Ad. What are your thoughts on this new campaign?
Want to build a personal brand that attracts you high-paying clients? 💸
If you’re tired of navigating the challenging job search alone or want to start your own side hustle, it might be time to try something new.
There is a wealth of online information about starting a business, creating a stellar portfolio, and writing a standout CV. However, after years of using these resources, I realised they lacked one crucial element: feedback.
That’s when I turned to mentors and coaches who provided honest, constructive feedback, transforming my confusion into confidence.
The results were almost immediate, significantly improving my career trajectory.
For the past six months, I’ve mentored over 15 early-career creatives through one-on-one sessions, helping them achieve incredible results. They’ve doubled their freelance rates, created viral TikTok videos, and secured £20,000 in grant funding.
Hear from our current/previous Mentees 📣
I’d love it if you could share this newsletter with your creative friends so they can get the inside scoop on the creative industries.
See you next week!
Please like or comment below if you enjoyed this week’s episode ❤️
Emma
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