Navigating your career and passion
The minute a task starts feeling like a chore it may be time to take a step back and re-assess which direction better suits you and your talents.
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
― Pablo Picasso
It can be hard to find creativity in our nine to five, so much so that we often times crave it, search for it, and create it in our outside eight. As a result, we sometimes feel trapped in the boxes our careers place us in. If our creativity and our careers do not align, we wonder if we made the right choice; if we’re on the right path; or, if the two must always exist separately from one another.
Many of the stories featured in this publication focus on how working professionals find balance between their nine to five and outside8. For many of us, all that we are and all that we love to do cannot be summed up in an eight-hour shift. Instead, it is summed up by the full 24 hours that we fill with our creativity, imagination, development, and so much more. For Samantha Clusiau-Lawlor, her nine to five and outside8 are not complements to one another, but rather two halves that make up the same whole.
If I could describe Samantha in one word it would be “artist”. She is an artist of many forms — a graphic designer, a painter, and an illustrator. Truth be told, if you give her the right tools, Samantha can transform any blank canvas into a sheer work of art.
From a young age, Samantha always knew that she wanted to pursue a career around her love of art. She would spend hours devoted to her craft — practicing, sketching, and mastering her skills. As she got older, she pursued her passion further by completing her diploma in graphic design and eventually graduated and was hired in her very field.
Today, Samantha is a Graphic Designer for the Government of Canada, working closely with strategists, photographers, web and social media specialists to deliver products that meet her organization’s audiences, including Canadians. While her creativity flows differently in an organizational structure such as that of government, she is still challenged every day to use her talents to transform ideas into art.
Outside her nine to five, Samantha runs a successful freelance business as both a graphic designer and illustrator. She is also the co-founder and illustrator behind our shared publishing company Little Voice Books, and volunteers her time and talent to charities and not-for-profits. In all that she does, whether it is through her work or volunteer efforts, each stroke — although different in nature — together paint who Samantha is: an artist.
So, how does Samantha’s outside eight impact her journey? I sat down with her and asked.
What motivated you to pursue your outside8?
“My outside8 is an extension of my nine to five. It is the same work, more or less, just tailored towards different audiences. With Little Voice Books, I’ve always wanted to illustrate a children’s book. It was a chance to develop a series of images that helped to tell a story — something I always aspired to do. When the opportunity came up, it was only natural that I accepted the challenge. What motivated me most was our company’s platform, we were not only creating children’s books but also a chance to give back. Knowing that my work could serve two purposes was extremely gratifying and rewarding.”
What is your biggest challenge in pursuing a nine to five and outside8?
“My biggest challenge thus far has been shutting down. My mind seems to be constantly thinking about the next project. Over the years, I learned that pausing in between projects truly helps to regenerate my creativity and energy to ensure I bring the same passion to every project I accept.”
What is the biggest lesson you have learned?
“I’ve learned to be kinder to myself and to give myself the space and time needed to succeed. Not everything needs to be done in one day. If I don’t get to a certain task one day, I no longer beat myself up like I used to. With my outside8, I have the chance to create my own deadlines so, as long as these are met, and I’m honest with myself and my time when I set them, I can pace myself and find work life balance in all that I do.”
“Freelance work, for example, is something I do for fun and so, I need to give myself the time to make that so. If I accept projects with short deadlines, I lose the ability to make it fun and instead add stress to my life — which wasn’t the intention behind creating my freelance business. Creating my freelance business was an opportunity to flex my muscles with new clients and ideas — I have to always remember that.”
What advice would you give to someone managing a nine to five and Outside8?
“If you’re like me and your nine to five isn’t much different than your side hustle then you’ve found two ways to truly love what you do. Your side business shouldn’t feel like work. Take on the projects you really want to do at your core — not just those that bring a monetary benefit but those that fuel your creativity. The minute a task starts feeling like a chore it may be time to take a step back and re-assess which direction better suits you and your talents.”
At the core of all that we do, whether through our careers or our outside eight, is a fundamental truth about who we are. Understanding these truths can sometimes take years. We become aware of these truths through the people we meet, the experiences we have, and the challenges we accept. For many of us, our outside eight either represents a journey in finding these truths, or is a result of our own awakening.
For Samantha, at the core of all she does is a passion for creation, imagination, and creativity. By understanding this truth, she was able to make both her nine to five and outside eight complements to one another. Samantha is an honest example of someone that not only loves what she does but also does what she loves.
As you continue to embark on your own outside eight, take some time to reflect on what fuels your passions, your creativity, and your sense of purpose. Use this truth to help you navigate your nine to five and to pursue your outside8. While these may sometimes be different — or seem different — they are both two halves that make up the same whole.
