Stop scrolling start reading

My phone screen time is on average 4.5 hours a day. It is growing in lockdown…I love to escape this. To do this, I make time to read. In the past 4 years I have read a lot of books. From meditation, novels, business books, creativity to neuroscience. Reading has helped me grow in a way that nothing else has. And it doesn’t have to be an hour a day, sometimes I read for as short as 5-10 minutes.

Before realising the effects of reading, it always seemed a chore – but I now love it, because I have experienced what it contributes to professional growth, personal growth and relationships. It feeds your brain and your soul. It creates escapism. It helps create new ideas, gives insight to new worlds, positively challenges thinking and defines moments. Being a creative, it has helped me develop skills, articulate ideas, grow in confidence, influence concepts and draw upon references.

It helps me be able to reference things, because I absorb myself in books and learning (or escape the world with a novel). Insight is value. It helps you grow. It creates energy, drive and forward thinking. If there is one thing I would recommend being a creative, reading is it.

By Mandy Barker

We perform at our best when we are healthy and happy. How hugging, stretching and gratitude will train our brain to get us through this…

To deal with change, we must commit to looking after our wellbeing and take each day at a time. Our friend Lou Willis-Keeler, a behavioural and wellbeing consultant from Psych-logical has kindly written some top tips for us to share with you. Grab a brew, take some time out and find some very practical how-to tips!

Why brand purpose is more important than ever

These next few months will highlight the importance that purpose first work brings to communities, and the brands that use their platforms to truly action change. We will start to see the cracks in the purpose led statements that exist merely for marketing, and those that truly live it.

How cultural organisations are transforming during the pandemic

We wanted to share examples of organisations and venues paving the way of adaptability and pushing cultural accessibility and inclusion to stay relevant during the pandemic. Is this the change we need to see, to reach more diverse audiences?

Creating a community for #Covid19 creativity

During this surreal time, we need to be kept creatively inspired, so we have created a site and project for people to share ideas, posters, phrases, writing, baking; anything that is keeping us balanced through this situation.

“Values before profit”: The design studio born from £800 and the desire to make a difference

Thank you to Chloe from Bdaily for such an accurate representation of our interview. A needed thing to read reminding me of Sails journey, considering the current uncertain climate. It’s a time where we will be forced to reprioritise, super important in times like this to go back to your values, and purpose. Look after each other. Strength, solidarity and social change. Sail has been a long climb.