Last month, I went camping. Figuratively.
I actually attended CAMP Fest, a non-profit organization celebrating the art and technology of creative storytelling. Think of it as a giant TED Talk with industry professionals, educators, and unlimited coffee.
The theme for this year was mental health. Throughout the two-day event, I attended various panels and networking sessions to better understand how our brains work as creative people and why it’s so important to stay on top of our mental health.
The event was a lot of fun but most importantly, it taught me the importance of taking care of myself. In order to create epic, brilliant, thought-provoking work, you need to make sure you’re in the right mindset. You’re allowed to fuel yourself through creativity but remember to take time to relax in order to be the best version of yourself, in and outside of the workplace.
Here are some of my favourite takeaways from this year’s event:
Focus on new skills using the tools you already have.
Have a library card? Good. An infinite universe of knowledge awaits you. You don’t need to have fancy equipment or tools to learn new skills. In fact, reading is one of the best ways to acquire some.
Improve in collaboration, not isolation.
Although it can be rewarding to practice new skills and overcome challenges on your own, don’t underestimate the power of collaboration. Remember to take on projects as a team, just as you would individually.
Leverage your downtime.
Finished lunch early? Have a 15-minute break? Instead of spending time scrolling through social media, try using this downtime for something else like making a budget, practicing slow breathing or updating your personal portfolio.
Don’t get emotionally attached to the design.
Perspectives change, therefore your designs will also change. Emotional attachment to your own ideas can become an obstacle to your growth.
Find what inspires you.
Weirdly fascinated with true crime podcasts? There could be a hidden inspiration in this! Don’t be afraid to leverage your hobbies and interests as a form of reference and use them to create.
Discover more about yourself (take the Enneagram test!)
In order to better ourselves, we must first understand ourselves. If you’re curious to discover more about your personality and habits, check out the Enneagram test.
Eat breakfast.
Please don’t skip breakfast (your brain relies on it!).
Put goals into your calendar.
Just like you would put important dates and events in your calendar, put your goals in there too! It helps to keep you accountable.
Enjoy the ride.
Everyone gets old, so remember to appreciate the present moments.
Knowing what I do now, I’m excited to collaborate with my co-workers and bounce our ideas off one another more frequently. I’ve also already started plotting long-term goals in my Google calendar and marking tangible milestones for myself. Oh, and I’m excited to start bringing bagels into the office – no more skipping breakfast for me! #BrainFuel
By Lexi Wright
Find out how artist Magda Assaf brings both creativity and logic to the table.
