168 Days of Magic - Kick off your Creative Project

Are you ready to get creative? My ‘168 Days of Magic’ studio programme kicks off again in February 2022! This is a 6-month journey that combines mindfulness, creativity and productivity – and is perfect for anyone wanting to relax, nurture their own creativity and get stuck into a creative project or side hustle. This programme runs in small groups of around ten participants.

Why get stuck into your own creative project? There are so many reasons to get creative!

Kevan Lee writes on Lifehacker about why creative side projects are good for you, stating that spending your time in this way can make you happier, healthier, and more productive. Kevan explains that when Google began its famous 20 percent rule (employees could spend 20 percent of their time exploring fun, passionate side projects), the result was a more productive, more creative 80 percent. Side projects boosted work performance.

There’s been research to back up this phenomenon, says Lee. San Francisco State psychology professor Dr. Kevin Eschleman and his colleagues measured the effect of creative hobbies on over 400 employees. In two separate groups—one rated by coworkers and one self-rated—those with a creative hobby were more likely to be helpful, collaborative, and creative with their job performance.

What could your project about about?
That’s completely up to you! Its ok if you just have a vague idea coming in to the programme. There will time for you to explore, define and refine your ideas. Then idea is that you’ll find something that you’re keen to explore over six months.
Here are some examples of great creative projects or side hustles to explore

writing a book or a series of short stories
Creating a garden
creating a series of illustrations
Creating a daily journal
launching a digital magazine or blog
Writing a screenplay
Creating a series of collages or sketches
Painting a series of artworks
Producing a documentary or video series
Designing a range of products
Creating a fashion label or brand
Decorating a room in your house
Writing your personal life story
Producing a podcast

The programme is 6 months in length, and includes:
6 x monthly half-day studio workshops
1 x creative coaching session with me, your guide, host and creative champion
6 x monthly online group sessions for brainstorming creative projects

So that means there is structure to the programme, but also a huge amount of flexibility in terms of what you want your project to be. It could be big or small, and you might want to work on it an hour a week or five days a month – whatever works for you is what will make a good creative project. As I run this studio programme, I’m also working on my own creative project and talking with other experts to get insights on how to best manage work-life balance, wellbeing and getting things done.

Please note: Participants will be required to show a valid Vaccine Passport.