When I was working as a receptionist at an ad agency, I did all of the things I could think of to try and climb the ladder. I offered to help anyone that was within a 10-foot radius of my desk. I stayed late and wandered around to see what everyone was working on, and I attended classes at The Ad Club.

While I had assumed that along with the class, I would be offered a job as a creative director as soon as they saw my work, what I received was much more valuable. I learned to brainstorm with writing partners outside of college. I learned how to turn my vision into real ads with deadlines. And I received a truckload of wonderful advice.

One of the best pieces of advice I received was from Shane Hutton, who was a creative director at Modernista! in Boston at the time. He told me to find a way, every day, to keep my creative “bucket” full. It was my job to get out into the world and see what was happening around me. That meant going to art museums, restaurants, musicals, new neighborhoods, and stores. To see, and to learn, and to be inspired, and fill my brain with everything I had seen.

And then, when I was sitting at my desk, with an assignment in front of me, I could use all of those great experiences inspiration to draw from to create something new.

When COVID came, the ways to fill my brain bucket seemed to dry up. Searching the internet is not the same as sitting at a coffee shop, overhearing conversations, and staring at the teacups on the walls. Reading a magazine is great, but doesn’t inspire in the same way looking at thousands of books at a book store does. I kept waiting for it to come—thinking that being in the house with my kids all day would provide me with a different kind of inspiration and motivation to get my work done as efficiently as possible.

While avoiding going into stores and running errands, and not feeling comfortable sitting in coffee shops for hours on end, I found a new source of inspiration. Every day, I started to take longer and longer walks to break up the day. And on those walks, I would try to see friends and family, to talk and connect in a safe way, to hear their stories, and share time with the people I love. When I couldn’t nail one of them down, I listened to podcasts. Everything from business to creativity to home organizing, biographies, and short stories. What I’ve learned is that being outside is inspiring. Moving my body is good for my brain and my body while listening to podcasts has forced my brain to fill in the gaps and add color.

And when I come back to my desk, my brain is full and ready to get back to work.