Why making space matters most

What are you doing to exercise your creative muscles this summer? This summer, BITE is asking the industry how we can make space for adventures in curiosity and creativity. Amanda Psyhojos, Chief Operating Officer at Tavern, is finding inspiration in intentionally making time for stillness. 

Creativity is often treated like a lightning strike - something that appears out of nowhere when inspiration decides to show up. But in my experience, creativity is much less about waiting for the perfect idea and much more about creating the conditions for ideas to emerge.

The most creative seasons of my life haven't come from working longer hours or consuming more content. They've come from intentionally making space. Space to think. Space to slow down. Space to simply exist without constantly reacting to the next notification, meeting, or endless stream of information competing for my attention.

For me, that space begins with stillness.

Meditation has become one of the most valuable creative tools in my routine, not because I'm trying to think harder, but because I'm trying to think less. When we spend our days moving from task to task, or doomscrolling to binge-watching, our minds rarely have the opportunity to wander. Yet it's often during moments of quiet that our best ideas begin to connect.

Science has long suggested that our brains continue solving problems when we're not actively focused on them. Whether it's during a walk, while sitting quietly with a cup of coffee, or after a short meditation session, our minds begin making unexpected connections. Those moments of clarity rarely happen when we're scrolling through emails or switching between a dozen (or hundreds, depending on what kind of person you are) browser tabs.

Stillness isn't the absence of productivity. It's often where creativity begins.

That realisation led me to make another unexpected change this year.

Instead of spending downtime on weekends binge-watching television, I started replacing some of that time with reading. Not reading on my phone or tablet, but reading physical books.

So far this year, I've already finished 13 books, and the difference has surprised me.

There's something fundamentally different about reading a physical book. Without notifications popping up or the temptation to check another app, my attention settles into a slower rhythm. Instead of rapidly consuming information, I'm engaging with ideas. My imagination becomes more active because the book isn't showing me what everything looks like; it's asking me to build those images myself.

That simple shift has unlocked a different kind of creativity.

Reading stretches your thinking in ways that passive entertainment often doesn't. Every chapter introduces new perspectives, unfamiliar experiences, and ideas that linger long after you've closed the cover. Sometimes those ideas directly inspire a project. Other times they simply change the way you approach a problem or spark a conversation you otherwise wouldn't have had.

Creativity doesn't exist in a vacuum. It grows from the experiences, stories, and perspectives we collect and engage with over time.

The challenge is that modern life often leaves very little room for collecting those experiences intentionally. We're constantly consuming content, but not always absorbing it. We mistake being informed for being inspired.

There's a difference.

When we slow down enough to read deeply, reflect, or simply sit in silence, we give our brains the opportunity to process rather than just consume. That's where original thinking begins.

Summer, in particular, feels like the perfect season to embrace this mindset.

There's something about longer days, warmer weather, and spending time outdoors that naturally encourages us to slow down. Some of my favourite afternoons are remarkably simple: finding a shady spot under a tree at a park and reading a chapter or two. There's no agenda beyond being present.

Ironically, those quiet moments often produce more creative breakthroughs than hours spent trying to force an idea at my desk.

Stepping away from screens also changes how we experience the world around us. We begin noticing conversations, architecture, colours, sounds, and small details that often go overlooked when our attention is fixed on a device. Creativity thrives on observation, and observation requires presence.

These adventures in creativity don't require expensive retreats, elaborate workshops, or waiting for inspiration to strike. They're built from small, intentional choices made consistently over time.

Choosing ten minutes of meditation instead of immediately reaching for your phone.

Choosing a walk instead of another episode.

Choosing a physical book instead of another hour of scrolling.

Choosing to leave space in your calendar, and in your mind, for ideas to develop naturally.

These habits may seem ordinary, but their cumulative effect is extraordinary.

The more space we create, the more room creativity has to flourish.

Of course, everyone's creative process looks different. Some people find inspiration through travel, others through music, art, conversation, or movement. The important part isn't following someone else's formula. It's paying attention to what genuinely helps you think differently and making room for more of it.

For me, meditation creates clarity. Reading physical books expands perspective. Nature slows my pace. Together, they've transformed not only how I create but also how I approach challenges, solve problems, and see opportunities.

Creativity isn't reserved for artists, writers, or designers. It's a skill we all rely on, whether we're leading teams, building businesses, solving everyday problems, or simply imagining what's possible next.

And like any skill, it requires practice.

This summer, give yourself permission to create the space your creativity has been asking for. Find a patch of shade. Bring a good book & SPF (because burns do happen in the shade, too, unfortunately). Leave your phone in your bag for a while. Sit quietly. Let your mind wander.

You may discover that your next great idea isn't waiting inside another screen - it's waiting in the space you've finally allowed yourself to create.