Reframe rest

Rest is necessary. It does not need to be earned, and slowing down is beneficial. Recondition your body to enjoy downtime without guilt."
– Brianna Pastor

Resting without guilt is a challenge I'm still figuring out. I've definitely been influenced by a hustle culture that shouts, "No rest for the wicked," equating busyness with importance. As a result, switching off has become one of my biggest struggles.

But when I read Brianna’s quote, I realised that I’d been thinking about rest in completely the wrong way! These parts really hit home:

1. "It does not need to be earned." Rest isn't a reward. I used to view rest as one, like a gold star for completing my to-do list. But now I look at rest as essential, not optional. I try to regularly schedule time for rest and take it when I need it – without any conditions attached.
2. "Slowing down is beneficial." Rest is crucial to the creative process. When I take a step back, I refuel my creativity and gain a fresh perspective. This is often where I get my best ideas. With that in mind, rest isn’t a luxury; it’s an essential part (and secret weapon) of my creative process.

How do you rest? What helps you disconnect? I’d love to know – just hit reply to this email.

Improve your briefing process with Otter

I've always found taking client briefs tricky – writing notes during conversations really interrupts the flow and makes it hard for me to be completely present. Usually, I'm either fully in the conversation and missing the chance to jot down notes, or I'm scribbling notes – which means I’m not fully engaged in the conversation.

During a recent logo design briefing, I tried ‘Otter’ to record the entire video conversation, and I can tell you that even after one use, I know it’s going to be a great tool for improving my briefing process. I was able to focus almost 100% (I still have to get out of the habit of taking notes) on what my client was saying, without worrying about missing important details.

Days later, when writing the project brief summary, I had both the full transcription and recording to refer back to (my Kiwi accent might have thrown off the transcription, so it was good to have the recording as well). Instead of typing everything out, I could easily copy and paste the specific information I needed for the summary.

Otter has a free basic plan that offers a generous amount of monthly minutes, and it works with Zoom, Google Meet, and other video platforms.

Check out Otter.ai!

Not an ad – just a genuinely useful tool I've added to my toolkit.