We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rosie Kosinski a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rosie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

Vacation; noun. “a respite or a time of respite from something” – Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

As a business owner, I do take vacations, but they aren’t the kind where I push myself to exhaustion, only to recover on a beach while secretly dreading the return to reality. Instead, I have five different types of vacations, each leading into the next to promote a healthy integration of responsibilities.

Sidenote: I don’t call it work-life balance because I believe that every moment holds a responsibility, whether it’s to a project, physical & mental wellbeing, or a relationship. At any given moment, you prioritize a particular responsibility.

For me, a vacation is a responsibility to remain in a state of ‘being’ rather than just ‘doing.’

Momentary Vacations: These are the most important. They prevent burnout and promote inspiration even on the busiest workdays. These are mental breaths you can take by asking yourself ‘where am I?’ and bringing your awareness to your physical surroundings, your breath, and your position in space (the answer: ‘right here.’). I sometimes do this for a second mid-meeting when I’m particularly stressed. The best momentary vacations are done alone, for a few minutes or for a whole lunch break. In these, you remain present and perhaps enjoy something that brings you joy, like chatting with a friend, listening to good music, or having a snack. This is training ground for enjoying the larger vacations.

Daily Vacations: these are mornings and evenings (or pre- and post- work time blocks for anyone with unruly schedules). They involve diligently maintaining work boundaries by checking work emails only after a certain time in the morning, and avoiding work emails after a certain time in the evening. These are clear blocks of time to enjoy meals, hobbies, home time, friends, family, or much-needed solo time. For me, they are essential for beginning and ending my day to keep the creative juices flowing and ensure that my mind is in top form when I’m ‘on’ at work.

Weekly Vacations: These are a day or two off, for many people enjoyed as weekends. I’m diligent about keeping weekends free from work, except for very special occasions like launches. Otherwise, this is my time to ‘inhale.’ I think of producing work and developing ideas as ‘exhaling,’ and I know I’ll run out of breath if I don’t take time to ‘inhale’. My favorite ways to do so include hiking, gardening, reading for leisure, and spending time with friends and family. Day trips to the beach, museums, or performances are also fabulous ways to recharge and re-engage.

Adventure Vacations: these are brochure-level vacations like flights to islands or visits to new cities. These changes of scenery are true luxuries for which I am truly grateful. I always feel invigorated and inspired by the change of pace, location, and food! My best business ideas come during and right after these trips. I always pivot afterward, as the break from routine inspires more risk-taking in order to optimize the business.

Family & Friends Vacations: these are the most important trips of the year for me. My family lives in various pockets of the planet, so seeing them is crucial. Although these trips are often jam-packed and don’t involve napping on a beach, they fuel my mental and physical health and my relationships with loved ones. In this dispersed world, these trips are a boost not only to relationships but also to overall well-being.”

Rosie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

At Shattered Pencil, we are a creative agency that specializes in providing a range of services including branding, graphic and web design. We are here to help businesses clarify their vision, and communicate it through a clear, concise and compelling (visual & written) story. With our team of devoted designers and expert developers, we offer tailored services to meet each client wherever they find themselves on their branding and marketing journey.

We collaborate with our clients and ensure the process is easy, focused and jargon-free. As such, we guide our clients efficiently and diligently through the process to make sure their vision comes to life. We love sparking a (powerfully designed) fire that they feel proud to spread, and that nobody can ignore.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to work with people and organizations that have a positive impact in the world. Some people may call this mission-driven, but that is too specific. Sometimes the mission may be mundane, but the person inspires others in undeniably positive and powerful ways! For example, a client of mine is an international moving company. On the surface, their mission is standard – move things places. However, they are dedicated to looking after their employees, paying them above average, looking after their clients, and initiating a host of philanthropic efforts.

I know I will not be able to dent this world’s issues alone. But if the business can contribute to the growth of companies that make an impact, my ripple effect can be that much greater.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Although creative work has a ton of overlap with more analytic and systematic work, there is a key difference that make the journey unique.

Creative reflection. If something needs to be designed, it’s not just a matter of following a formula or a pre-prepared system. A well-done design or creative solution requires reflection. This comes before, during and after any brainstorming, research and more “actionable” tactics. This can include anything from going for a walk, working on something completely different, or taking a few days off from the project. The unconscious mind is vital for this work, and needs to be respected. Unfortunately, in a world used to deadlines “due yesterday,” the creative process is not always well-respected. Another visual I find helpful, is that creative output is like an exhale. In order to exhale, you need to inhale. That inhale it vital, although often done in silence and not easily justified or presented as “work.”

Contact Info:

• Website: http://shatteredpencil.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shatteredpencilstudios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shatteredpencilstudios/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie.kosinski