How to apply for a residency

I completed my Bachelor degree in 1990 in Ceramic Design and spent my first year post-uni as a resident artist at the Meat Market Craft Gallery in North Melbourne. I left clay for some time after that when family became my focus and have only seriously returned to ceramics in the last ten years. When I first returned, I found it quite difficult to find my place in the world of art. I entered competitions and applied for galleries and was repeatedly knocked back.

I decided that I needed something more substantial on my resume. I had read about other artists doing residencies. I wanted to gain a broader overview of my art form, see what other artists were doing in clay. I felt passionate about taking time out, away from the distractions of the day-to-day to focus solely on my art.

As many of us know, the minute you have children, personal space and time vanish into thin air. But my two children were now old enough to cope without me for a few weeks… surely.

I began researching art residencies. I was looking for a supportive environment that would allow me my own space and time to develop new artwork. For my first residency, I ruled out any that required me to present a workshop or talk. At first, it seemed like a daunting prospect and the usual doubts reared their ugly heads: Am I too old? Am I good enough? Am I fooling myself? But the most difficult question was, how am I going to tell my husband that he is not coming with me?

Before applying, I scrutinised each residency's web page and looked up artists who had previously attended. I was looking for a professional standard; I wanted to make sure that the residency attracted high-calibre artists and was run in a professional manner.

I decided to apply for AIR Vallauris, a ceramic (and now other art media) artist-in-residence program in the south of France. I may have been swayed by romantic visions of champagne, baguettes and fromage. When I finally pushed 'send', I was excited and scared all at the same time. I didn’t tell anyone I had applied, as I didn’t really think I would be accepted. But to my surprise, I received an acceptance email. I was really going to France. At that point, I realised I hadn’t actually told my husband yet (whoops!) but I knew he would be 100-percent supportive.

Raku firing in India

So, I spent six weeks in the south of France where Picasso had his ceramic studio, working with three other artists from the United States, Korea and the Netherlands in two studios that were wonderfully historic and very quaint. We worked hard during the day in the studio, and at night or on our days off we travelled around the area, drinking wine, eating the most amazing food and having the wonderful experiences. We were motivated and invigorated, and produced many artworks.

Sally teaching a workshop in Seto, Japan

I have since attended eleven other ceramic art residencies. That first one in France was the first —and the last—time I had to fund myself. Subsequent residencies have all been partially or fully funded and I am so thankful to have had these opportunities to grow as an artist. The hundreds of artists who I have worked with over the years have led to a huge network of support and career development opportunities.

If you are thinking about applying for a residency, here are a few tips based on my experience. 

• Be brave.
  Yes, you are worthy. No, you are not too old/young. Yes, you will love it. No, it’s not scary. You will make some of the greatest friends, and the time and experience will support your art-making in such a positive way.
  

• Do your research.
  Check the residency website and the artists who have previously attended. There are residencies out there for everyone. Try looking at http://www.resartis.org/en/ for a start.
  

• Check the costs.
  Make sure they are clearly stated on the website, and remember to convert to Australian currency. If the residency is funded, make sure you present a professional looking application (to be discussed in a future post).
  

• Clarify the accommodation details.
  Make sure accommodation is included in the residency cost and clarify if you will be sharing a room. If want your own room, you can usually ask and they may charge you just a little extra.
  

• Think about the dates.
  I went to France and Japan in winter, which was okay for me as I don’t mind the cold, but it may not be for everyone!
  

• Find out what materials and equipment are included.
  Some residencies pay for all materials and some require you to purchase them.
  

• Make sure the studio space suits your work.
  If you are a painter, is there enough wall space or easels for the size of the work you want to create? If you’re a ceramic artist, is there a kiln available and access to glaze materials? Ask if you will you work by yourself or with others in the studio space.
  

• Clarify what is required of you.
  Do you have to bring work with you to exhibit? Are you required to donate all or some of the work you make during the residency (usually required in China)?
  

• Find out if you are you required to give a presentation or workshop.
  If you are, clarify who your audience will be. Don’t be afraid of presentations as many organisations include a community aspect in their programs to help them obtain funding. They are usually quite fun.
  

• Don’t ever let a knock-back get you down.
  Just improve your application and apply to another residency, or apply again in the next round. I have been refused as many times as I have accepted.

Sally Walk is a ceramic artist. She holds a Bachelor of Art (Ceramic Design) and a Post Grad Diploma of Education. She has been working in clay for more than thirty years and creates sculptural work in stoneware and porcelain clays. Sally has attended twelve ceramic art residencies all over the world and has held six solo exhibitions and more than thirty group exhibitions. She was selected to exhibit at the Tokyo Art Fair in Japan, Art Melbourne, and the Florence Biennale in Italy, where she was awarded the ‘Lorenzo il Magnifico’ first prize for ceramics. For more about Sally, visit her website or follow her on Instagram (@sally_walk).

Should you trademark your business name?: Brand protection tips for creatives

This week we’re introducing a new regular column for 2018, focused on legal issues for creatives. To kick things off, let's take a look at trademarks.

Why trademark your business name?

Trademarking your business name can help ensure your customers identify your product or service as unique, and ensure your business is – and remains – distinguishable from all others. You can trademark your business name on a national and/or international level, after considering whether your business will operate locally, nationally or globally.

The pros

The benefits of registering your business name as a trademark include:

• Protection of your name against imposters and copycats

• A secure brand on social media. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and other social media venues have policies in place to protect you against abuse.

• Trademarks are easy to renew.

• Trademarks build brand loyalty and may even evoke pride in employees.

• Trademarks can safeguard against cybersquatting (domain names that are identical or similar to your trademarked name).

A business name alone does not give you exclusive trading rights or ownership over that name. A trademarked business name can be extremely useful as a marketing tool; it gives your business an identity, or brand. You will have ownership and exclusive rights to the commercial use, license or sale of your business name as a trademark. No one else in Australia will be able to commercially use your business name within the class of goods and services it is registered under. It will carry intellectual property protection and you may use the trademark symbol (a capital R enclosed in a circle) following your business name, alerting others that your business name is a registered trademark. This can help build the value of your business, and the trademark may hold value in itself. If another trader tries to pass off her own product or service using your trademark, it will be an offence under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.

It’s possible to protect your business name as a trademark without registering it, if your business has been using it for a sufficient period of time and has built up a significant reputation. However, in the long run, protecting a trademark without the benefit of registration is likely to be much more difficult and expensive.

New businesses registering their business names will be alerted to your trademark when they use IP Australia’s TM Check to ensure they do not infringe on an existing registered trademark.

The cons

The negative aspects of registering your business name as a trademark include the hassle of dealing with government agencies, the time it takes to jump through legislative hoops and the cost—which is not large, but not insignificant either.

How to register

To register your business name as a trademark, use the Australian Government IP Australia online services. You’ll be offered different cost structures depending on whether you use the TM Headstart service or the Standard filing service; application costs range from $130 to $480 per ‘class’. The ‘class’ refers to the category of goods and services, which are divided into forty-five classes. To discern which class/es you need to register your trademark under, think about the exact nature of your business and consider the following:

• Where do you derive your business income?

• What is the nature of your business?

• What are you known for by your customers/clients?

• What products or services does your business provide?

Once your trademark application is approved, there is no further cost to register the trademark.

It takes three to four months for IP Australia to examine your trademark application and ensure that it meets legislative requirements, is under the correct class and so on. Refunds are not given for errors, so it is important to get the application perfect the first time around. You might save time, energy and money by engaging a lawyer to do the application on your behalf; if you are moving your business to a global platform, a lawyer’s advice on trademarking overseas will be indispensible.

Once your trademark application meets all requirements, it will be registered and you will be notified in writing.

Maintaining your trademark

If you do decide to trademark your business name, you must actively use it in the course of trade. If you do not use it, the trademark can be removed on the grounds of non-use. (Trademarks are not allowed to be registered to simply stop other traders from using them.)

Once registered, your trademark remains for ten years from the filing date. You can renew your trademark from twelve months before the renewal is due, or up to six months after. Current on-time online renewal fees are $400 per class, however there will be extra fees if you renew after the due date.

Weighing up the pros and cons

Overall, trademarking your business name is usually worth the time, effort and cost. It ensures the business you have built will remain solid and hold its reputation for the long term, and you won’t need to change your name or branding down the track.

Jessica Kerr is the director of Sinclair + May, a female-led, boutique commercial law firm that works extensively with the creative industry. Jessica set up Sinclair + May with a view to do law differently and make legal services accessible for small businesses. You can follow Jessica on Instagram for useful legal tips or visit Sinclair + May at sinclairmay.com.au.

Photo by pixabay.com

Five lessons learnt from working from home with children

When I grew up, I wanted to be an artist, complete with the romantic notion of living in a loft full of canvases, drinking red wine with poets and writers. Alas, my foray into painting at university was less than satisfactory and my creativity took a different path when I discovered gold- and silver-smithing. Tools, gold, gemstones! After becoming a jeweller and working in the industry for several years, my journey took another turn when I decided to become a stay-at-home mum.

For three delightful years, I cooked, cleaned and cared for my son and husband, filling in my spare time with creative hobbies. I began playing with my tools again, and after much urging from family and friends, I started my own business. Over time, I taught myself everything I needed to know as I needed it. While I researched how to run a business, I learnt many lessons on how to run that business with a child, then two children, and now three children...

Five years, and many nappies and sales later, here are five of the lessons I have learnt.

1. Make time instead of finding time

This was a huge mindset shift for me. When I was trying to ‘find’ time, I could only find the odd block of free time. But somehow when I had an appointment booked, it was non-negotiable. When I changed my mindset from hobby to business, I realised I needed to ‘schedule’ in work. If I don’t schedule time to go to the gym, I don’t go. If I schedule in work time, I say no to playdates, ignore the laundry and get to work.

I was told early on that if you give your child ten focused minutes of your time, he or she will give you an hour to yourself. This depends a little on the age and temperament of the child, but I have found that even as toddlers, getting down to my children's level and joining in with them, or simply listening to them fills their cup and they are less likely to even notice that I am now doing my own thing.

Naptimes, nighttime, weekends are all great times to get to work. Depending on the type of work you do, you may be able to work at your laptop while your children play beside you. Think about when you work best. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I know I am fresher in the morning for tasks like writing, while I can do repetitive tasks at night. Schedule time for chores, too. Embrace the flexibility of working from home to create a routine that works for your whole family.

2. Enlist help

I am blessed to have a father-in-law who comes to our house and babysits one day a week. That is my bench day. I have tried working with my children in my workshop, and while it is sweet at first, it almost always ends in disaster. There was the time my toddler dropped a steel block on his toe, which resulted in a trip to emergency to stitch it back together. Or the time another of my little ones drew beautiful pictures all over my professionally printed postcards. Or the time my daughter was playing with my metal ring size gauge, which does make a lovely rattling sound, and which has never been seen again.

If you don’t have the convenience of grandparents, enlist friends for babysitting swaps: you take her child one day, she takes yours the next. The kids get two playdates and you get a whole day of work. Think creatively about other blocks of time you could use to work. My gym offers two-hour crèche sessions, which means I can work out and then write on my laptop in the coffee room before collecting my treasures.

Free up your time in other ways by enlisting help. You may not be ready to hand the reins over to an employee, but perhaps you could hire an intern, get a cleaner, hire a courier to pick up your parcels rather than going to the post office, have your stationary orders delivered instead of picking them up at the store and indulging your paper addiction… Think about your rate of pay as a business owner. Is it worth driving half an hour to pick up that item yourself, or would you be better off paying a ten-dollar delivery fee? Can you hire a bookkeeper, invest in a product photographer or ask for guest articles for your blog to free up your time to do the things that only you can do?

3. Batch your days

When I was working full-time (before there were small humans dependent on me), I answered emails, ordered supplies, posted to social media, did paperwork, did bench work and went to the post office each day. Now, I have themes for each day. It stops me from multitasking and is the best use for my time.

One day might be for emails and ordering, another day is my bench day, another is for scheduling social media and another day for packaging and posting orders. Even if I am interrupted a million times, I know exactly what I am up to that day and there is no time wasted getting out the packing supplies five times a week, or making five trips to the post office.

4. Set boundaries

This applies to both yourself and others. It’s easy to get lost in your workday and forget to make time for your children, too. When your scheduled work time is up, resist the temptation to do just a little bit more and focus on your children instead. Go to the park, take a walk, paint a picture, read them a book, bake with them or do your chores with them. These are the things they will remember. These opportunities are the reason you are working from home.

At first, I felt ‘mama guilt’ whenever I was working, feeling like I should be with my children instead, while with my children I felt guilty that I should be attending to my business. I couldn’t win! Over time, I have realised I need to be where I am in the moment. By scheduling my time I can be present with my children while I am with them and forget about work, and while I am working, I need not feel guilty about expressing my creativity and contributing to our finances.

Setting boundaries for others can be more difficult. I am a people pleaser and try to oblige whatever is requested of me. Oh, you need that tomorrow? Sure, not a problem! Argh! It is your business. You make the rules. Learn to say no. Ask for what you need: the time you need, the money you need, even the help you need from your partner.

 5. Take Sundays off

Your business won’t love you back, but your children will. Early on, I treated my business like a newborn, attending to its every need immediately. Now I realise it is more like a tween. It needs my help, but can exist independently for longer periods of time without my undivided attention. The separation between home life and work life are blurred when you work from home. There is always so much to do on both fronts that it is easy to become overwhelmed.

Several cycles of overachieving followed by burnout have taught me that much of the pressure is of my own design. Everything doesn’t need to be done at once. Give yourself at least one day off a week when you don’t think about work and focus on your family and yourself instead. Reconnect, do self-care, ignore your emails, work on projects for fun with no pressure or financial goals attached to them.

It's not always easy, and I am often asked how I do it all. I think all business owners have a streak of crazy! But the satisfaction of having my children home with me and being able to build a business and watch it grow as they grow has been the best decision I have ever made.

Christina Lowry is a designer and jeweller who creates fine jewellery for creatives. Her work is featured in several Australian galleries, as well as in her online store. Christina fell in love with jewellery making while studying a Bachelor of Fine Art/Visual Art. Each piece is lovingly made by hand in her Brisbane workshop, incorporating precious metals and gemstones and using traditional metalworking techniques. To see more of her work, visit her website, Facebook page, and follow her on Instagram (@christinalowrydesigns).

Photos by Trudi Le Brese Photography

The courage to be creative: Q&A with Jamila Rizvi

Courage is something creatives grapple with on a daily basis. Taking a leap, putting yourself out there, choosing the path less traveled: no one said it was easy! How can we worry less—and leap more?

Jamila Rizvi is someone who knows how to leap. In 2017, Jamila was one of the Weekly Review’s top ten young rising stars in Melbourne. And no wonder: she’s a columnist for News Limited; a radio host; a commentator on such shows as Today, ABC News Breakfast and Q&A; a published author (of Not Just Lucky, published by Penguin, and an anthology of letters called The Motherhood to be released this year); even an ambassador for CARE Australia. And that’s just the short version.

We asked Jamila for her thoughts and advice about being courageous. Here’s what she had to say.

In your upcoming event ‘Tea with Jam and Clare’, you and Clare Bowditch will celebrate creativity and courage. Why did you decide to focus on these themes?

Creativity is at the heart of what both Clare and I do. While many of us foolishly associate creativity only with the arts, the truth is creativity lies at the center of all that is beautiful and all that is innovative. And yet, as powerful and glorious as creativity is, many of us fear we’re not made for it, that we can’t do it, that it’s not for us. It takes courage to be creative, but if we’re able to find and harness that courage? That’s where brilliance begins.

Clare Bowditch (left) and Jamila (center) welcome Zoë Foster Blake as a special guest at their upcoming event, Tea with Jam and Clare.

You have pursued many creative ventures, from writing to television. Which venture has taken the most courage?

Both Clare and I have pursued creativity in many ventures: Clare in the more classical realms of music, performance, and more recently in writing, and myself in journalism, business and yes, government policy. The truth is that creativity is important and relevant to every sphere of work and human endeavour. For me, the venture that required the most courage was leaving the safety and financial security of full-time work for the independence of freelancing.

Have you ever taken a creative risk that failed?

Oh so many times! Creativity requires risks and also requires of us the courage to get it disastrously wrong and begin again. This sounds rather roundabout, but for me the biggest failures have come from not taking creative risks. They’ve come from being afraid to take the leap and trust my instincts and let creativity take its course. Creativity is stifled by a fear of ‘what others may think’ and that’s where my failures tend to eventuate.

How do you gear yourself up to take a creative risk?

I am not an impulsive person; I am a natural planner. However, I tend to spend a long time thinking about a creative risk or a new endeavour before I begin. I think, and think, and think and think again—and often appear disastrously unproductive. But when I do take action at the end of it I am decisive and fast.

In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert says that although fear is something all creatives must learn to live with—that it will always be ‘in the backseat’ of our car—the important thing is to not let it drive (or touch the road maps, suggest detours, fiddle with the temperature or touch the radio). Do you find this a helpful way to think about dealing with fear?

I found Elizabeth Gilbert’s book tremendously helpful in this regard. Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own heads that it inhibits the purity of a creative idea. It stifles it, suffocates it and eventually, it kills it. The key is to just ‘do the thing’. There always comes a point when the planning or thinking or worrying comes to an end and you Get. On. With. It. Never let the fear of being less-than-perfect stop you from doing what’s important.

How can you tell if fear is simply ‘fear of failure’ versus a gut instinct that should be listened to?

I write about fear of failure in my book, Not Just Lucky. I think it’s always important to determine the genuine cause of fear because for most of us, fear of failure is actually fear of public failure; we fear failing in the eyes of others. If we were allowed to fail quietly and privately then we probably wouldn’t be fussed. Ultimately you have to ask yourself: is the opinion of others more important than the creative work you want to do? Probably not…

Do you have people you rely on for support when considering a creative risk?

Clare and I certainly rely on one another because we’re close friends as well as professional collaborators. I always use my husband as the commonsense check and my father as the strategic check. They reign in my freewheeling creativity and excitement when necessary. They also know me better than anyone else, so I trust their judgment implicitly. Often they help create a framework I can use to analyse a decision, or point out the flaws in my logic or plan.

What is the next big creative risk you have planned for 2018?

We launch Tea with Jam and Clare in March and I have high hopes that this won’t be a one-off event but the start of something extremely special.

Is there something you would love to do but haven’t quite got the courage?

I would love to write fiction. I’ll let you know when—or if—I ever tackle that fear.

Any final words of advice for readers struggling with fear about taking a creative leap?

Stop worrying about what other people might think. Nobody is paying as close attention to you as you are, so do what makes you happy.

Jamila Rizvi’s new event series with Clare Bowditch—Tea with Jam and Clare—launches on Tuesday 20 March at the Melbourne Town Hall, with special guest Zoë Foster Blake. Tickets are available at trybooking.com. For your chance to win a double pass, pop over to the CWC Instagram and/or Facebook accounts!

Julie Mazur Tribe is the CWC blog editor and a book-publishing consultant who loves working with authors, books, and creative ideas. She can be found at BrooklynBookStudio.com and on Instagram at @brooklynbookstudio.

Tips for launching a new creative venture

Is your dream for 2018 to finally launch your creative business? We asked four creative business owners (and CWC members) from a range of industries to share their top tips for getting a venture off the ground.

It’s never too late

Kellie Robinson, photographer and owner of Colour of Life Photography

Kellie Robinson Photo by Vicky Palmieri Photography

I am a lifestyle photographer based in Trafalgar, Gippsland, and I launched my business, Colour of Life Photography, in 2013. Photography has been my passion for—eek—25 years, but I fell into an unrelated field after my schooling. The arrival of my children made me determined to make my hobby a career. I still marvel that I get to do this every day and that I built this myself.

What do you wish you knew when you launched your business?

That I didn’t have to spend all the money and have all the gear. If I had kept it simple from the beginning and stuck with what my heart was telling me, I wouldn’t have done a big circle back to where I began (with lifestyle photography). By keeping it simple and perfecting the gear that I had, I would have saved a lot of money, time and effort. But then again, it brought me to where I am now, so all lessons are good, aren’t they?

What has been your biggest obstacle and how are you overcoming it?

Seeing myself as an artist. I studied photography when I was in high school but I never considered myself an artist. I can’t paint… I can’t draw… I just like taking photos. I still have that stuck in my brain. It took me over twenty years to call myself a photographer and I still pinch myself when I do, so baby steps for me I guess. In the meantime, I’m continuing to educate myself and practice my craft. If I have learnt anything, it is that it is never too late. It wasn’t too late for me to make my hobby a career and it won’t be too late for me to call myself an artist when the time comes.

What is the best advice you received when launching your business?

Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to seek out support from like-minded people. You don’t have to sit in solitude if you are a solo entrepreneur—there are so many supportive individuals out there to help you in all aspects of your business.   

Photo by Kellie Robinson

Delegate and trust

Suzan Freeman, owner of Where Things Happen letterpress print and design studio

My love of letterpress printing began in the 1990s while studying design at the University of Newcastle. After graduating, I escaped to Sydney and London, working in print (packaging, design and advertising) and later at integrated agencies. Since moving back to Newcastle and becoming a mother, my desire to build a business doing something I loved became very important to me. I thought it would mean saying adios to the long hours and stress of working for the big fellas (she says typing at 11pm on a Monday night).

In 2011, a designer friend and I found an 1852 Albion hand press for sale in a scrap metal yard on the outskirts of Newy. We fell in love. Since then, I have been gifted a 1920s Arab treadle press and managed to buy a black ball 1940s Heidelberg platen. I love working with each press, finding out about its individual abilities and temperaments. I also love collaborating with other creatives who have a passion for making things happen. Every day is different. I hope I never stop learning and evolving.

What do you wish you knew when you launched your business?

I wish I had more confidence in my own abilities. It’s taken many hours of unpaid work to develop the techniques and an understanding of each press; sometimes there aren’t enough hours in a day.

What has been your biggest obstacle and how are you overcoming it?

Knowledge. There are fewer and fewer people to ask. Some retired printers are amazing and have gone out of their way to help me, while others are simply not interested. Let’s face it, it’s a male dominated industry and I’m regularly asked if I have a handy boyfriend or husband (insert eye roll).

What is the best advice you received when launching your business?

You can’t do everything, so find help from people who are specialists in their own areas. Delegate and trust.

Letterpress work by Where Things Happen.

Don't take on projects that don't feel right

Allison Smith, architect and director of Studio 15b

Studio 15b is a small architecture and interior design practice. I started the business as the founding director in 2013. We aim to provide a practical approach with our small team giving personalised service and individual attention to each project. We have a wide variety of experience in residential, multi-residential and business fit-out projects.

What do you wish you knew when you launched your venture?

Being the sole director of the business means you can never totally switch off. It’s difficult to take a holiday without having to do some work and to keep one eye on the business. This is one aspect for people to consider before taking the big step of starting a business. On the reverse side, there are many advantages, such as having the flexibility to work the hours and times that suit my lifestyle. I’m very glad to have taken the plunge.

What has been your biggest obstacle, and how are you trying to overcome it?

Having a baby while running a business. I managed the hardest part by being extremely organised, having huge commitment to the challenge (working nights, weekends and any chance I got), dedicated staff plus a supportive husband and grandparents.

What is the best advice you received when launching your venture?

An older, wiser architect once said to me, 'Don’t take on projects that don’t feel right for whatever reason.' He said you are better off sitting on a beach earning nothing and enjoying life rather than dealing with people who don’t respect you or projects that are not adding value to your business in some way.

The Golf House project by Studio 15b. Photo by Christopher Frederick Jones

Organise me: 7 fun ways to get organised for 2018

Can you believe it’s already February? If you’re in planning mode for the new(ish) year, you’re not alone. Here are my fun ways for getting organised to make 2018 your best year yet:

1. Write down the crazy big goals you’d like to achieve in 2018. 
They can be business or personal. Use coloured pens and make it look fun to look at. You could draw little pictures next to them, too.

2. Buy a big desk calendar and add monthly goals that will get you closer to your big goals. Make deadlines for the big goals you identified. 
Having goals on a calendar helps make you accountable and can keep you on track. You could colour code your goals and deadlines for personal, business, skills or travel. Pick colours that make you happy to look at.

3. Sketch up how you would like your workspace to look and think about what you could add (or remove) to make it flow better and help you be more efficient. 
Whether it’s a whole room or just your desk, it is so much nicer when everything has a place and you don’t constantly feel buried under mess or can’t find anything.

4. Make a mood board or a Pinterest board for your workspace or desk and treat yourself to something that will help make it a happier place. 
This might mean adding artwork or new in-trays, or hoisting up a peg board or some shelves so you have somewhere to hang all your equipment and can leave your desk top free.

5. Read a book on a topic that interests you. 
This might not seem like an organisational tool, but it might just uncover another goal for the year, or help you learn something that relates to one of your goals. If your goal is to hike in South America, then a book on how to prepare for hiking in those climates could be perfect!

6. Get outdoors and have some fun. 
What does this have to do with getting organised? It helps you to relax and have time to think about what you do and don’t want for the year ahead. It’s hard to get organised and be excited when you’re feeling frazzled, so allow yourself some downtime before you jump deeper into the new year.

7. If you’re feeling particularly crafty, make a vision board with images that represent your goals for 2018 and put it up somewhere to remind you what you’re working toward. 
Grab some cardboard and some old magazines and have fun organising and gluing your vision for the year.

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to work out what we’d like our future to look like and to take baby steps that will set us on the right path. Some goals will be longer term, but it can be fun to think of the things we can start now to get us there.

Have a wonderful 2018!

This post was originally written by Dannielle Cresp in 2014. 

Photo by Kaboompics.com

Tips for surviving the holiday season in a creative business

The silly season is here! This time of year can be a busy and stressful time in a creative business. Here are some useful tips on what you can do to survive the season and come out the other side feeling healthy, refreshed and energised, from Sally Cumming, director at Engage Health, a provider of mental health, resilience and injury prevention programs.

Plan ahead

Being organised in the busiest of times can make you more efficient and less stressed. Planning and organising the tasks in advance will leave you time to concentrate on what you need to complete at that time.

Be mindful

Mindfulness meditation is very effective in reducing stress levels and changing pathways to improve thought patterns. It also activates the right side of the brain, which enhances creativity—something that can benefit you all year round.

You can learn how to do this by listening to guided mindfulness recordings. (We love the free Smiling Mind guided meditation app.) Try practicing mindfulness meditation during everyday routine activities, such as cleaning, cooking, shopping, brushing your teeth and showering. Notice when your mind wanders away from what you are doing and gently bring it back. Over time, this will create new neural pathways in the brain, enabling you to remain more focused, calmer and less likely to react when the tension rises.

Recognise stress

With practice, you can learn to recognise and identify your stress triggers, helping you stay in control when the pressure builds. Like any skill, mindfulness takes self-exploration, discipline and regular practice. We all have the ability to remain calm and to avoid burnout if we learn how to recognise the early signs of stress and how it affects us.

The first step is becoming aware of our triggers. How does stress manifest itself in your body? Do your neck and shoulders appear tighter? Does your mind race, your heart beat faster or your stomach feel like it is in knots? These are all common physical sensations associated with the stress response and are different for each person. Paying close attention to these early signs of stress will allow you to stamp it out early.

Come to your senses

It is important to recognise that the body’s ‘fight, flight, freeze’ state is a hard-wired physiological response to a perceived threat. The body can also overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening, such as work pressures, traffic jams, and so on. The good news is you can outsmart this overactive physiological stress response by engaging the five senses. The practice of using your senses immediately sends a signal to the brain’s limbic system to let the body know it is safe from harm and danger. This rapidly stabilises your emotions and will calm and ground you in the present moment.

Learn to relax

We all need to find balance. It is not always easy to remember that taking the time for relaxation and/or exercise is just as important as getting work done. Each morning when you wake up, try staying in bed for five minutes and doing gentle breathing to allow the mind to become still. This will elicit the relaxation response, lower your blood pressure and release any muscle tension.

To de-stress at any time, try this simple relaxation exercise: breathe in through your nose for a slow count of three, allowing your belly to fully expand with air. Breathe out through your mouth for a slow count of five. Continue for five minutes. Follow the breath as it comes into and leaves the body. Be mindful of any unhelpful thoughts and let them pass through the mind.

Be active

Try to do some exercise every day. A brisk walk, light jog, bike ride or swim will do wonders for your mind and body. Being active will also relieve stress, improve sleep and increase your energy levels. Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five times a week. If you are already doing this, increase it to 45 minutes. If you exercise three times a week, move it up to five times a week. Studies have proven aerobic exercise suppresses the stress hormone cortisol, which has also been linked to excessive weight storage around the midsection, so suppressing it could benefit you both ways.

Be safe

Slowing down and being mindful will also protect your body from harm. If you are at markets packing boxes for delivery or lifting heavy objects, always ensure your spine and body are in the correct position. Before lifting, make sure there is an obvious ‘S’ shape in the spine and avoid undesirable ‘C’ shaped curvatures. Maintaining a lumbar curve is extremely important to ensure the lower back does not take unnecessary load or strain. To do this, widen your stance and stick out your bottom (similar to sitting down onto a chair or a weightlifter’s squat). Always brace your abdominal muscles and use your glutes and leg muscles to lift the load. Regular stretching and flexibility exercises will ensure your spine stays in a healthy position.

Remember to laugh

Laughter is one of the best ways to reduce stress, so don’t forget your sense of humour. The times when we start to lose it are the times we need it most! Try to enjoy this busy season and plan effective strategies to help you stay in control and stay safe.

Happy Festive Season!

Sally Cumming is the director and lead corporate wellness consultant for Engage Health. She is a certified mindfulness practitioner with the Mindfulness Training Institute of Australia as well as an ESSA-accredited exercise physiologist. Follow Sally on Instagram (@engage_health) or LinkedIn.

Jes Egan is a ‘practical creative,’ doing the business in a digital agency, being an artist and an university lecturer. Follow Jes on Instagram (@paper_chap).