Throughout my career I’ve waffled between periods of time where I’m incredibly hyper active with work and apathetically detached. Part of this might be due to existing in a climate that is sometimes referred to as late-stage capitalism. A time period where we feel pressured to always perform more, always push more, always be better. 

I’ve been trying, with varying success, to do less. That means looking at the things in front of me and identifying ways to reduce, to slim down, to set aside. 

This might sound like laziness, a desire to avoid work, an attempt to get out of the things that are required of me. It’s not. Many of us grew up creative, curious, pushing to learn more and excited to make things that are delightful. Thankfully some of us have retained that, but for many others it’s been squeezed out and stamped down. 

My goal, as someone who is immensely curious and always interested in making something more, is to keep that small flame alive. 

I’ve found that in times when I’m hyper busy, jumping from task to task, ever in search of the next dopamine hit, that it often turns into erratic spasmatic checkmarks on my todo list that in fact accomplish nothing of meaningful value. 

I don’t want that.

I’ve read a lot of books on this topic, about how we should slow down, look for meaning, and use our skills to create the things that matter the most to us. 

There is, of course, another side to this. Most of us exist in a world where we need to work to create enough income to provide for ourselves and those we love. We don’t have the luxury of disappearing into a shop and building console tables inspired by Pottery Barn all day while listening to audiobooks and enjoying the beauty of carving something imagined into existence out of raw materials. That actually sounds amazing. 

The trick is to find that thing we are good at, piece it together with something that will provide the financial means necessary to keep ourselves moving forward, and somehow build a life around that with meaning. 

Since I was 13 I’ve strived to make a living out of my artistic talents. At first it was creating commissioned illustrations, then it transitioned into graphic design, and eventually other areas of design related to tech. It’s been a rich and meaningful career, and one I hope continues for a long time to come.

Through that I’ve had ups and downs, including severe burnout, and I’ve always looked for the thing that keeps me going. After a lot of soul searching on this topic I’ve found that slowing down helps me to find time to enjoy the wonder of what I get to do. Throughout the day I’ll pause, think, try new ideas, and intentionally allow myself to play with different directions. The result is not just better work but work done in a way that’s more sustainable for me and those around me. Being more calm and relaxed can have a positive encouraging effect on others, can let others know its ok to think, to create, to build delight. In taking those moments to slow down we have the opportunity to create the things we could never have imagined. 

The vocabulary I use has changed in the last few years. I don’t say that I’m working. Instead I say I’m playing. I’ll even intentionally use that in conversation, telling colleagues that I’m going to play around with a few design ideas. On my better days it really is that, playing with ideas. 

Being creative works best when you have the freedom to think and build and play. Constraints are important as they can often encourage creativity, but they shouldn’t be constraints of fear. 

If you’re at the point where you feel worn out, undone, completely empty from the extensive work you’ve been pushing for years on end, just know there’s a different possibility, a different direction that can be taken. It requires the ability to let go of some things that feel like they matter, but really don’t. It requires thinking in longer time horizons, planting seeds now that will hopefully grow in the future. It requires an unhurried approach, a thoughtful consideration, a contemplative look at what is and what could be. 

There are still times, far more than I wish to admit, where I do become hurried; rushing from task to task, unmindful of any end goal. But this is a commitment to myself to take a different approach.