Owner of Seven Limes Pottery in Manchester, Sam Andrew, gives us his reasons why a pottery away day could be worth a look.
Manipulating mud with our hands to create pots for food and water is in our DNA; it’s one of the oldest human inventions, with handmade vessels carbon dated back over 20,000 years. But in our 3D-printed, digitised world, keeping our fine motor skills in tip-top shape is no longer an essential survival skill. Yet, as an activity, making pottery engages our creative brain, pushes us out of our comfort zone, and has the power to keep us healthy, all in a socially engaging and supportive environment. Neuropsychologist turned ceramicist and Owner of Seven Limes Pottery in Manchester, Sam Andrew, gives us his reasons why a pottery away day should be top of the list.
Step outside your comfort zone
Pushing teams out of their comfort zones is a well-versed strategy in personal and professional development. It is well known that the experience of trying a new and unfamiliar activity together is great for building bonds and encouraging creative thinking. Pottery wheel throwing is a lesser-known away day activity, but its popularity is on the rise thanks to TV programmes like The Great Pottery Throw Down.
Brain benefits of novel activity
Engaging in new and novel experiences is one of the most important ways to stimulate your brain and prolong good cognitive health. Research shows health benefits for people engaging regularly in activities like pottery were up to 73% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment and memory issues, which can lead to dementia. It’s all about how passive or active the mind is.
A form of meditation
Something special happens when you sit down at a potter’s wheel – so much so, that many people compare it to a form of meditation. Making a pot involves switching attention and tasks between different parts of the body and using hand-eye coordination. It’s this focus that helps to dispel negative ruminations and thought processes, providing a break from your team’s busy and active minds. Pottery can help to alleviate stress, promote mental clarity, and allow team members to recharge and return to work with a refreshed mindset and clearer perspective.
For all abilities
Pottery wheel throwing is relatively accessible compared with other forms of arts and crafts activities, such as watercolour painting or life drawing; you don’t need to be artistically inclined to give it a go. This makes it an ideal team-building activity for employees at all skill levels, championing inclusivity and encouraging everyone to step outside their comfort zone without the pressure of creating a ‘perfect’ piece of art.
Dare to fail
The inevitable chance of failure is a fantastic leveller and an interesting tool for breaking down barriers within teams. It’s also a great opportunity to observe how individuals deal with fresh challenges that are way outside of their day-to-day experience and comfort zone. With expert guidance and an instructor on hand to save a wobbly pot, there is also a good chance of success and that your team will leave with a tangible, successful result – and valuable lessons in resilience and collaboration.
Leave perfectionism at the door
Perfectionism is a characteristic that blights many workplaces, whether it’s the team member who can’t even begin a task for fear of failure, or a manager who alienates teams by holding them up to their own exacting standards. A pottery studio is an ideal safe environment outside of the workplace for teams to practice letting go of perfectionist tendencies. As with any new skill, you are unlikely to craft a masterpiece on your first attempt. So just get stuck in, feel the clay between your fingers, give it your best shot, and wait and see what happens!
7limes.co.uk