Apathy is the enemy of creativity. As the summer season kicks in it is all too easy to find ourselves on autopilot. Whether boiling our brains on the Northern Line, or navigating the mental gymnastics of summer childcare logistics, summer can be a difficult time to maintain momentum. For creativity and curiosity to thrive we need rest and inspiration. Be it recommending a book, a breathing method or developing a craft, this summer BITE is asking leaders to share how they are making the space to nurture their creativity and find their pace.

Jeff Bowerman, Executive Creative Director, Dept, reflects on the space for rest and growth that summer affords agencies.

I recently got more interested in gardening, perhaps (ok, 100% definitely) a sign of age. Living in London this means two small flowerbeds and a metre of lawn, so not exactly the botanical gardens of Kew, but hey it still counts.

I figured this would make a good metaphor for the summer season in advertising. In the current challenging agency environment this may feel a little flippant, but I'm buoyed that there’s signs of flowering amongst the slow growing economic weeds. Like the seasons, most things are fleeting.

Summer should be all about enjoying what's managed to grow; the effects of the seeds we’ve sown earlier in the year.

If every LinkedIn business guru, founder, entrepreneur is to be believed, you’re not winning if you’re not a constant gardener. I don’t subscribe to this club. 

I do think we should encourage our industry to enjoy the solace we’ve most definitely earnt since last summer; the pitches, RFIs, rounds of amends and dances with procurement.

Take a breath and don’t feel guilty about this important recharging time, it’s compulsory for all our mental headspaces.

That’s not to say that I'm encouraging anyone to rest on their laurels (literally, not sure my patchy laurel bush would support that). The opposite in fact, you can’t forget this time of year is also about keeping everything watered and tended to for the future.

It’s a perfect time to check in with the team, spend time with them, help plan the rest of the year, and think about the next.

Use this headspace for the proactive hustles you’ve not had 5 minute’s space to think about all year and start sowing the seeds for the inevitably unpredictable remainder of 2024.

I await the are you on gardening leave comments.