Now is the time for something new! That 2020 and Covid-19 has been a rough year isn’t news to anyone. At least not for us freelancing creators and small business owners. But, when your everyday life, work and everything else turns upside down – what do you do? You seize the moment to explore new grounds!
For long we have been sitting in front of our computer screens. At our job at the advertising agency, at our freelance collective, in our couch, on the café, in the bed or at the kitchen table. Day in and day out we have designed, photographed and written, what feels like the same things again and again. Same, same – but different, so to speak! It doesn’t matter how many times we take that power walk or jog to increase our blood flow to the brain – sometimes we need something else to boost our creativity!
The opportunity of your own time
As the most of us are now working from home and remotely our way of doing things have also changed. Now, we have more possibilities to own our schedule, time and tasks, than before. We can give ourselves time to do other things, as we can work pretty much anytime we want during the day. Perhaps are you one of those who won’t go back to the office until next year? Just as you might feel, I felt I needed a fresh breeze of something new in my every day. Something that made me try new things and to think and see things in a new way – without any demands on the outcome and performance, than towards myself.
I took advantage of this and decided to study on distance the old fashion way (at least here in Sweden) – an Adult Education Center or Folk High School. During the past weekend I found myself in the southern parts of Sweden and in the middle of nowhere for an introduction and 1 of 3 mandatory IRL get togethers (at safe distance of course). The whole weekend was spent with talking to other likeminded, in this case photographers, of all ages, backgrounds and esthetical styles. What was very liberating and actually refreshing was that all our discussions during class and around the dinner table was about images and only images! No professional nag about invoicing, how hard it is to make a living as a photographer, technique, annoying clients…
Focus on the fun and why you started
When you cut out the things that drains your energy (and often whined about on Facebook) and focus on the things you enjoy and what made you pick up a camera from the beginning, it’s amazing how fast your energy and desire to create just for the fun of it, comes back. When you feel that you don’t need to perform for money, but for your own curiosity.
Do you have some time to spare or the possibility to still control your own time? Make something of this opportunity and do something new! If not a school or a course is appealing – go for a challenge! Something that make you step out of old and beaten tracks and mindsets.
Love,
Johan