sowhatexactlydoyoudo-blog

[sowhatexactlydoyoudo-blog]

Don’t be the problem

Fucking hell. Two posts in a day. I’m on fire.

Anyway. I suffer from depression. I’m coming to terms with it. And I’m learning to recognise it. But that’s not to say that I can let it become an issue within a working dynamic.

Over a late night writing session over beers and pizza, I could spot the moments where my negativity was directly surpresaing creativity and possibility.

I decided not to be the problem, so I had a quiet (silent) word with myself and started adding energy, ‘yes and...’s, loads of nodding, builds and encouragement to whatever my partner was suggesting.

It’s no surprise that the result was something that - even if it actually wasn’t more productive - was at least a sight better to be involved in.

There are enough problems to solve and navigate in this job without being one yourself. The penny dropped on that one for me. Another basic error but one I’m hoping not to repeat again for as long as possible.

[sowhatexactlydoyoudo-blog]

Long overdue

So I’ve been slow to get this first post down.

Mainly because, when things go well in this job I tend to disregard the lows.

It’s a welcome distraction. A complete relief.

And then BAM, more lows hit you.

And even though these are lows very similar to what I’ve already experienced in the role (I’m nearly two years full-time after a 10-month stint on three different placements) I have failed to draw on previous experiences to help me deal with them.

So here are a few of my recent lows, and the learnings that - hopefully - having committed to paper I can draw on more regularly.

Challenge the brief

This is such a basic, basic lesson. And one I find myself not embracing more regularly.

I give people too much credit. I take propositions as gospel. Even when my gut is telling me they’re wrong or that they’re too executional.

Don’t give people too much credit. We’re all winging it.

In a recent digital/social briefing for a big chocolate brand, we were asked for ‘a thing’. A ‘small thing’. The reference we were shown were all ‘small things’. Messaging stickers, online tutorials and gifs.

This wasn’t the thing they were after at all.

What they got were angles, thoughts, bigger ideas.

And because we took the brief as gospel, because we gave our ‘seniors’ too much credit, we were suffocated by the task.

We forgot the basics. We delivered lazy work that was familiar and safe.

I’m being slightly harsh on us in that some briefs you’re just not suited to, but we should’ve used basic techniques to unlock thoughts and ways in in a way that still felt like a creative playground we could navigate. We should’ve pushed for interesting rather than heading for safe ground. 

Ask even the most basic questions

The ideas that made it through to the presentation were all the result of simple questions. Of simple problem/solution thinking. Simple ‘what if’-ing. Simple creative techniques.

Again, it’s easy to be hard on yourself. Especially when you’re spread thin and on a number of projects. And full of worry and insecurities on top of that. But what I need to do is make the techniques my FIRST go to, make De Bono’s white hat my first go to. To get the wheels turning in an efficient, energy-saving fashion if nothing else. Let your gut take you wherever it thinks you need to go of course, but don’t forget the basics. The best work is so so simple. My favourite work is so so simple.

Always work on making your own luck. Always.

Side projects are arguably more important than the work you do at agencies. On so many levels. From a professional POV they help sell personality that might not come through your work on brands. And on a very practical level they keep your creativity sharp and alight when ‘advertising’ is being a pain in the nut sack. Or whatever body part you feel its occasional twat-ish-ness harshest.

Be present

There’s a lot of faddy mindfulness chat about atm. But there’s a serious, valid side to the trend that needs taking into account.

There are too many different agendas and there’s too much luck involved to let your mind engage with anything other than the briefs on your table, the after-hours briefs you might have asked for, the side projects you’re working on or your private life.

When you get to ACD, CD, ECD level obviously there’s a lot more psychology involved with clients and internal wrangling. But as a creative, a junior creative too, it just isn’t worth letting your mind wander. ‘Do they like me?’, ‘do they rate me?’, ‘Where is my next piece of work coming from?’, ‘was this the wrong career choice?’. Honestly, fuck all of that thinking off. It’s a total waste of your energy and represents things that just aren’t worth worrying about. You’re not negotiating peace deals for the UN, after all. You’re working for a business that is set up to turn some sort of profit. And within that, you are a cog. Life’s way too short to take any of this too seriously. 

Right. That’ll do for now. Chin up.