I reserve a lot of time in between projects to just play around. Some friends taught me a process called "expansion/contraction." When you're at the beginning of something new, you're in the expansion phase - consuming a lot of new information, trying different things and pushing the boundaries of what you could do next. Usually inspiration hits in the most unlikeliest of places so you want to make room for that!

When I discover a message/lesson/idea that resonates with me, I go into the contraction phase, which requires a lot of discipline, structure, deadlines. I research, then write, then do the artwork, then edit and voiceover. Within those steps are mini expansion/contraction phases as well (e.g. research broadly, then narrow; write broadly, then narrow). Creativity comes about in the expansion phase so I always want to make room for this even when I'm focused on execution and getting stuff done.

I apply this to other things in life, not just content creation and it's been an awesome way to structure work. Shout out to John and Eamonn who taught me this process and are killing it by applying it to their medtech company <3