Why I’m Logging Off for the Month

Here I am at an artist residency in France in 2023.

Running a creative business often means wearing many hats. One minute you’re sending invoices. The next, you’re editing a podcast episode, replying to client emails, or trying to squeeze in some time for your own creative work.

It can be energising, but also exhausting. And over time, the very thing that once lit you up can start to feel a little out of reach.

That’s why I’m taking a full break from the digital world this August. No phone. No laptop. No emails. No social media.

Just stillness, nature, and space to create without expectation.

I’ll be spending the month on an artist residency in Finland, tucked away in a quiet part of the country surrounded by lakes and forests. The focus of the residency is to unplug from digital distractions and reconnect with the natural world. For me, that feels like the perfect environment to return to my creative practice with fresh eyes.

This isn’t the first time I’ve stepped away like this. Since starting my business in 2017, I’ve made it a point to take regular pauses. I’ve learned that creativity needs room to breathe. And when you’re always “on,” it becomes harder to access the deeper parts of yourself that fuel meaningful work.

Sometimes the most important thing we can do for our business is to step away from it. To remember why we started. To reconnect with what brings us joy. To make something simply for the sake of making it.

If you’re feeling stretched or uninspired, maybe you need a break too. Not necessarily a month in the woods (although I highly recommend it), but even a day without screens, or a weekend where you give yourself permission to rest without guilt.

We don’t always need to push harder. Sometimes, we just need to pause.

I’ll be back in September, feeling refreshed and ready to dive back in!