Summary
Creative energy is a limited resource, especially during the ramp-up to BFCM. This article shares how I recommend teams set boundaries now, so they can do meaningful work later—without burning out.
We're not in the sprint yet. But we can see it from here.
Right now is the part of the year where every copy team, every marketer, every creative person in eCommerce starts to feel it—that low hum in the background. The lead-up to Black Friday/Cyber Monday is its own kind of season. Quieter than the main event, but just as critical.
Because NOW is when you set the tone for how you'll handle the chaos when it hits.
My team has been operating at a high level for months. They're talented, they're dedicated, and honestly? They're tired. Which means right now, before the real volume kicks in, I'm doing everything I can to make sure they have the creative space they need. Not just to survive the holidays, but to do work that makes them proud.
I didn't hire them to be cogs in a machine. I hired them to think, to tinker, and to build.
And that means I need to protect their ability to do just that.
The Truth About Creative Capacity
Here's what I've learned managing creative teams: Creative capacity isn't like other resources. It doesn't replenish overnight. It doesn't scale with caffeine. And it definitely doesn't multiply under pressure.
It's finite. And the busier you get, the faster you burn through it.
There is unfortunately a large number of leaders out there who treat creativity like it's an endless well.
Need another campaign? Just dig deeper.
Tighter deadline? Work faster.
More revisions? Stay later.
But creativity doesn't work that way. It's more like a rechargeable battery, and if you keep draining it without giving it time to recharge, eventually you're left with the kind of work that looks busy but lacks the spark that makes it memorable.
3 Principles for Protecting Creative Energy
If you lead a team (or you're trying to lead yourself well through the next stretch), here are the boundaries I’d put in place now before the real volume hits:
1. Guard Your Thinking Time
Block off time that is yours to think. Not to respond. Not to review. Not to tweak. Just to think.
This isn't about being difficult. It's about recognizing that your best ideas don't come from being constantly reactive. They come from having the mental space to connect dots, see patterns, and ask questions.
If you don't guard that time, it will get eaten by other people's urgency. Every single time.
2. Be Honest About Bandwidth
There is no award for pretending you have more gas in the tank than you do.
I see this everywhere (in-house and at other agencies): teams pushing through exhaustion, leaders avoiding difficult conversations about capacity, creatives saying yes to everything because they're afraid of looking weak.
But you protect your best thinking by acknowledging when it's running low. That honesty isn't weakness. It's strategy.
3. Ship the Thing
Perfectionism is a great way to hide when you're tired. Don't let it win.
When your creative energy is low, the temptation is to keep tinkering, keep revising, keep "making it better." But more often than not, that's just fear dressed up as craftsmanship.
Say what you mean. Make it simple. Hit send.
Why Simplicity Is Protection
Speaking of simple… simplicity isn't just a writing style. It's protection.
It keeps your work honest when you're tempted to hide behind clever phrases, and your thinking sharp when complexity would muddy your message.
Plus, it keeps your communication clear when inboxes are noisy, offers are aggressive, and timelines are tight.
During high-volume seasons, simplicity wins. Not because it's easier to create (it's often harder), but because it's easier for your audience to absorb and act on.
The Conversation We're All Having
I'm seeing this topic pop up more on LinkedIn and in conversations with friends in the industry.
People are feeling it already.
The weight of what's coming.
The pressure to perform.
The quiet worry about whether they have what it takes to make it through another intense season.
If you're feeling it too, that's not weakness.
That's awareness.
And awareness means you can do something about it.
Take Care of Your Creative Inputs
You don't have to white-knuckle your way through BFCM.
You can prepare for it with intention. You can lead with clarity. You can protect what matters most: your ability to do work that makes a difference.
Let's take care of our creative output by taking care of our creative inputs.
That's what I'm aiming for with my team.
And that's what I hope for yours too.
Want to simplify your approach to copywriting?
The Minimalist Copywriter's Playbook is a free micro-course that strips away complexity and reveals the core strategies that transform your copy (and your results).
The Copywriter Column is a weekly glimpse into the mind of an agency copywriter. Thinking about subscribing? Here’s what else you can expect.