We all know of Maya Angelou as an important and brilliant civil rights activist and poet. In truth, these monikers barely scratch the surface of a remarkable woman who lived an extraordinary life.

While we might not be surprised to hear it, less might know that she also dabbled in composing and dancing, and was the first black woman to direct a Hollywood film. But this is the truth of the multi-faceted, limitless potential of creativity: As Angelou said, in a 1982 Bell Telephone Magazine interview, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

There is much to be said for this. Experience has taught me how difficult it can be to balance life to ensure that a busy work schedule complements personal passions. When I was a child, drawing was my creative go-to from the moment that I first put pencil to paper. Little did I know that doodling would shape the future of my career. Before long, I was graduating with a BA in Fashion, which segued into a career in the creative industries.

Enraptured by the pace and the people of the working world, I devoted the majority of my creative energy to roles ranging from publishing and journalism to digital content production, marketing and creative direction. Unsurprisingly, the amount of time that I devoted towards my passion dwindled fast and diminished even further when parenting came into the equation. While briefs gave me a creative outlet, they didn’t give me the space for the all-too-critical self-expression and working things out that getting creative for the sake of play allows.

Despite loving my job as a creative director, I started to feel that something was missing. Then, around seven years ago, I was gifted a life drawing course that gave me the opportunity to re-stoke my enthusiasm for observing the world through my own lens, paper and pencil in hand.

Getting back to the drawing board

Regular drawing classes meant my skills came on leaps and bounds: The more I leaned into it, the more I realised that it wasn’t about producing a spectacular piece of artwork. Drawing provided me with moments to take a step back from it all – it became an investment in my ‘self’. Wherever I’m sketching, everything seems to slow down, and over time this leads to greater noticing and understanding of how the world and life works.

Making time for quietude cannot be underestimated. Those moments of calm are what feed the ability to step up.

This is where investing in yourself and your creativity becomes important: Don’t forget what makes you happy.

Music, art, dance, crafting: Irrespective of the creative modes you’ve gravitated towards, it is vital that you allow this to be as important to you now as it was as a child. These are essential passions which - if explored - can provide you with the objectivity and energy that enables a healthy passion for your work, with less burn-out.

From being something to pass the time, and perhaps to express myself in a way that I couldn’t with words, returning to drawing as an adult became additive to my working practice as a Creative Director, and leader. It helps me notice more, become more concise in my critique, take more risks, and keep going through the ‘messy middle’. Perhaps, because my personal creativity is judged elsewhere, it has made me better at remaining objective.

Creating a balance of my personal and professional creative self, and bringing them together, means I am always able to bring my authentic self to work, and hopefully inspire my team to do the same.

Muddying the creative palette

Working from home has entirely rewritten how we learn, share, collaborate and absorb, through osmosis, the ways to creativity. There are huge benefits to greater flexibility but there are some serious drawbacks, especially when it comes to the creative process. It is particularly hard for those just starting out in our industry.

Paraphrasing the writer Michael Rosen, “Creativity is how adults play”; if every Zoom is a scheduled meeting, or presentation, we miss the classic ‘watercooler moments’ of the workplace. The organic intersections with co-workers which blossom into monumental ideas as each adds their unique perspective. To innovate, we need spaces populated by multiple people able to say the weird, wonderful, even seemingly wrong thing, which is so much harder via video call.

This is where the bravery of your activities outside of work come into play.

As notions of creativity are continually defined and redefined, Angelou’s insight remains as pertinent as it was 40 years ago. While enthusiasm and commitment remain imperative to navigate the hurdles and the hoops of the working world, aim to hold on also to what is personally important to you. Create environments where work can be one aspect of a whole-life balance. Make space for self-expression and inquiry; enabling people to bring authentic behaviours to the workplace, fostering innovation and collaboration.

There’s no need for ‘new year, new you’ - think about it more as ‘new year, limitless you’: Upgrade your ‘hobbies’ to take centre stage in your plan, indulge in the joy of your creative potential (make sure you make a lot of messes!), and I can promise that you’ll never look back.