Work hard, play hard.

That was my recurring mantra for a long time.

In a year of covid restrictions, opportunities for play came to an abrupt halt.

Each time we reach outside for some freedom from the same place we eat and sleep and work, reach forwards to a much missed relative, reach outwards to the mountains and the beaches and the hills that are so far outside the local travel restrctions... play felt so very far away.

Work hard, and hold on.

I've learned in the past six months how to clumsily translate my former places of play from physical to digital - finding pleasure in creative practice but also sending out creativity into the world.

Share hard, rest hard.

Doesn't sound as snappy, right?

But the principle is the same.

The harder the share, the more I need to rest.

Uploading a song draft to a close group of friends might require some deep breathing and an evening break.

Releasing an album may need a whole fortnight of enforced rest.

Are you creating hard?

But tell me, are you resting hard, too?

(Thanks to not one but two wonderful creatives whose thoughts on creativity make this post happen)