Behind the Scenes: Navigating Creative Ruts, Balancing Mum Life and Business
Welcome to a journey behind the scenes of my creative world. Balancing the roles of a graphic designer, a mum, and a business owner is no small feat. Today, I want to take you through how I navigate creative ruts, integrate boundaries, and evolve my business amidst the demanding yet rewarding life of motherhood. Here’s why you should read on: understanding how to balance creativity and life’s demands can help you create a flourishing business while maintaining personal well-being.
Step 1: Tackling Creative Ruts
Creativity can sometimes feel elusive, especially when you're stuck in a rut. Here's how you can reclaim it:
- Establish Boundaries: Putting boundaries in place can surprisingly boost creativity. These constraints force us to explore within set parameters, which can spur new ideas.
- Clarify Your Intentions: Before you start designing, understand the 'why' behind your project. Knowing your purpose aids in delivering focused and innovative design.
- Seek Inspirations: Don’t design in a void. Use resources like Canva templates and Pinterest for inspiration, ensuring that you're not starting from scratch but expanding on existing ideas.
Step 2: Exploring Canva's Hidden Gems
Canva offers an array of features that might not be well-known yet can revolutionise your design workflow:
- Canva Sheets: Utilise these for content planning. Organise your month’s content using a spreadsheet layout that includes post types, dates, and content ideas, all within Canva.
- Integration Ability: Combine different Canva tools—sheets, docs, whiteboards—into one comprehensive file, allowing everything you need for a project to be in one place.
Step 3: Design vs Messaging in Marketing
In the marketing world, both design and messaging play pivotal roles:
- Design Attracts, Messaging Converts: Your design should capture attention through strategic and visually pleasing elements. Once engaged, your messaging should carry the narrative forward, resonating with the audience.
- Synergise Both Elements: Ensure that your branding design aligns with your messaging tone. They should together create a seamless experience that reflects and enhances your brand’s values.
Support Jacqui Naunton // White Deer
Your support helps me produce more content like this. If you enjoy the content I make - like, follow or subscribe!
Step 4: Balancing Mum Life with Business
For many of us, maintaining harmony between work and family can be challenging:
- Define Your Boundaries: Create clear cut-off points between work and personal time. Utilise tools like app blockers to ensure presence with your family.
- Embrace Delegation: Motherhood taught me the power of delegation. By trusting a reliable team to handle various tasks, I’ve managed to focus on strategic roles while allowing the business to grow.
Step 5: Insights into Aesthetic Choices
While my personal style differs from my brand, ensuring your space resonates with your lifestyle is crucial:
- Home vs Brand Aesthetic: My home embodies calm and nurturing tones while my brand is vibrant and energetic. This distinction helps maintain personal peace and professional expression.
Step 6: Business Wisdom from Experience
Reflecting on my business journey, here’s what I'd change if I could start over:
- Early Niching: Define your niche early to attract your ideal clients quicker.
- Build Your Email List Quickly: Start cultivating an audience from the outset. An email list is an invaluable tool for communication and marketing.
- Authentic Branding: Ensure your branding reflects who you truly are and resonates with your vision.
In this behind-the-scenes exploration, we've touched on key strategies that help you not only survive but thrive in both business and life. My journey continues to evolve, and I hope these insights offer valuable guidance on your path. Stay inspired, stay balanced, and continue creating with purpose.
Jacqui Naunton // White Deer