The Art of Summer Fridays

Every year, we are fortunate to have smart, motivated college students join us as summer interns. Justin Kosloff, who joined our strategic planning department for the summer, has been spending a lot of time doing research at his computer ... but like all good agency people, found there is inspiration outside the office as well.

Take it away, Justin!

A Valid Reason to Leave Early!

I recently came across a blog post about how getting out of the office and exploring other places, whether a different continent or simply a nearby neighborhood, benefits one’s creativity. This blog commented on how working at the same place every day has the advantage of making us concentrate and “focus on the facts at hand.” However, that same restricted focus can also generate negative consequences, such as the inhibition of imagination.

When I first heard that many advertising agencies give their staff half-Fridays, I thought it was just a great perk to working in the industry. However, after reading this blog, I think that half-Fridays also have the unintended benefit of giving employees an opportunity to feed their creativity. Having to work only half a day on Friday leaves us free to do whatever we want for the rest of the day – go to a museum or to a park, take a three-day weekend somewhere close by, or a multitude of other options. Choosing any of these many options greatly improves one’s perspective, opens up the brain and re-invigorates the imaginative mind.

Because of the strides in technology, we think we have the entire world at the tips of our fingers through our keyboards. However, looking at the world through our computers in our offices does not compare to experiencing it first-hand. When we watch an interesting YouTube video about the art of juggling or see the paintings from a great exhibit online, we are prevented from fully digesting the inspiration these experiences can provide because we still have our unfinished work assignments lingering in our minds.

When we experience a circus instead of a YouTube video on juggling, the Picasso exhibit at The Met instead of a slideshow of paintings on a website, our minds detach from our restricted office walls and the stressful tasks that come with work. We become blank slates open to absorbing not just the information from these experiences, but also the atmosphere and people that accompany them, all of which help to inspire us and revive our imaginations.

Hope this finds you well,

Justin G. Kosloff

Strategic Planning Intern