Every spare moment has become about finishing the website, learning the next thing, improving my skills, creating more, doing more and somehow fitting it all around the busiest time of year in my day job.
The result?
A very tired human being who suddenly feels rather bad at all of it.
The heatwave hasn’t helped either. Poor sleep has a way of making every task feel heavier and every unfinished job feel louder.
And it has made me think a lot about pause.
I think I have a slightly unhealthy relationship with it sometimes. Even when I tell myself to stop and rest, I can still end up putting pressure on myself. If I’m not sketching, should I be finishing that book instead? If I’m not working, should I be catching up on the housework that’s been piling up? If I finally have time to breathe, why does it so often turn into another list of things I ought to do?
So what is pause, really? What does it mean for you?
For me, the truest kind of pause isn’t about squeezing in more tasks. It isn’t about using every spare moment to catch up on chores or to be productive in a different way. Real pause feels different. It’s the space where my mind can soften a little. It’s the walk along the seafront, or a wander through the woods, where I’m simply soaking in the atmosphere, the sounds and the smells without trying to get anywhere faster. It’s lying on my yoga mat in the middle of a beautiful meditation, when thoughts begin to settle and ideas seem to drift in on their own.
That’s where the magic happens.
Not when I force it.
Not when I chase it.
But when I give it room to arrive.
And maybe that’s why pause matters so much. Because life can so easily become a blur of bills, chores and responsibilities. Those things are important, of course, but somewhere along the line we can lose sight of how important rest is too. We forget that play is not a luxury. We forget that stillness is not wasted time. We forget that creativity often needs breathing space more than it needs pushing.
So I’m trying to draw a boundary around rest and play. To protect them. To treat them as essential rather than optional.
I’m prescribing myself a little more play.
Doodles that don’t need to become products.
Lettering practice that never leaves the sketchbook.
Messy ideas.
Wonky lines.
Creative time with no expectations attached.
Because not every creative act needs to be useful.
Sometimes it just needs to be joyful.
And if that still feels like too much, then maybe the smallest step today is rest.
💛 Pocket Treasures: Today, Pockets has tucked a brightly coloured sweet into your pocket with strict instructions to enjoy it slowly and do one less thing than you planned.
💛 Pockets’ Wise Words: One thing today is enough.
Creating art that brings hope, joy and encouragement into everyday spaces. ✨ Original artwork by Pennie @ Puff Designs
