This is a snippet of a client-wide email that went out on May 14, 2025. Because I deeply value transparency and have a lifelong passion for mental health, I’m going to share it on my website. Please note it contains discussion of unexpected death – proceed with caution if you’re sensitive to this type of content right now.
Hi all,
This email is going out to all current clients regarding project delays which have occurred across April and May 2025.
Here, I’m explaining:
- What’s happened;
- Why I’ve had to suddenly delay and cancel work; and
- What the forecast is for things getting back to normal at Origami Graphics.
Note that there are no new changes to the status of your project – this email is intended as an explainer and forecast only. If you have a project in progress, work will be proceeding as already discussed unless you are otherwise notified directly.
If you have any questions, please reply to this email or give me a call.
In Summary
- [Trigger warning: death] My family suffered a sudden and catastrophic loss of life at the end of March 2025, resulting in me needing to cancel plans and fly home from Ireland to Australia in April 2025.
- My cognitive function, creative ability, planning ability, memory, and administrative capacity have been severely impacted across April and into May, with three large May and June projects having to be cancelled and refunded completely, and most other projects needing to be delayed.
- I expect I will be back to mostly-normal health and capacity by 1 June 2025, but out of an abundance of caution and to avoid further disruption, will be adjusting how I handle certain types of work until 1 July. Please read below for more information.
Specifics and Forecasts
I acknowledge that this period has caused disruption, and apologise for not making calls to delay projects sooner. While I was trying to keep up as long as I could, this has only had the opposite desired effect and has ended up prolonging delays and creating urgency in client deadlines. In hindsight, I should have admitted incapacity to work far earlier than I did, and I will take this lesson into the future.
However: I (luckily) engaged four talented subcontractors at the beginning of March to help me manage periods of high work demand as needed, and they are on board to help right now. My Terms and Conditions are currently being updated to reflect their presence in the business and the fact that they may help me to deliver work from time to time.
Note that, while I will remain responsible for creative control, project review, and file approval prior to client delivery, subcontractors may be involved in design processes from now on unless otherwise requested by you. In particular, subcontractors will be almost wholly responsible for any new substantial or ongoing pieces of work (>$3000) from now until the new Financial Year. I will not be able to resume taking those jobs on myself until July 1, as my priority is ensuring completion of the work that’s already on my plate at this time.
Contact me if you’d like further information on my design subcontractors (“subbies”), or if you’d like to be referred to them directly to organise an upcoming job that is time-critical. I handpicked them myself, trust them, like them, and would happily recommend all of them.
Talking about mental health is important, and the emotional shockwaves from an unexpected loss reach far further than you may expect. If you or anyone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis and may be at risk, the following resources are available in Australia:
[in a life threatening emergency] call 000
Lifeline 13 11 14 or chat online
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 or chat online
Medicare Mental Health 1800 595 212 or see website
Me? I’ve sought assistance from my local GP to try to get myself back on deck as quickly as possible, am leaning on my support network, and am making sure to get adequate nutrition and gentle exercise to support and encourage mental recovery and a full-time return to work.
If you have any questions or concerns – or just want to talk – feel absolutely free to reply to this email, or give me a buzz the phone. My number works overseas.
Chat soon,
Taylor