How do inventors and
artists get their inspiration that leads to great ideas? Inspiration comes from
focusing deeply and intently on solving a problem. Actually, research says it’s
not the way to gain inspiration
(Wellbeing, No. 155, March/April 2015).
In 2012 psychologists from
the University of California in America gave 145 undergraduate students the
task of listing as many uses as possible for everyday objects, such as
toothpicks, clothes hangers, and bricks, in a two-minute period. When they
finished, participants were told that they would undertake a second round with
four activities: two activities would be the same as the first round and there
would be two new activities.
There were four groups:
(1) group A had no rest break between round one and round two, (2) group B had
a 12 minute rest in which they did nothing before round two, (3) group C had 12
minutes of a memory activity requiring full concentration before they started
round two, and (4) group D had 12 minutes of an easy mind-wandering activity –
such as daydreaming – before they started round two. The results were
fascinating.
Group D members who
undertook daydreaming activities in the 12-minute rest performed on average 41%
better at the 2 repeated tasks than people
in other groups, but not the 2 new
activities, in round two. They said that they knew the task and were more able
to generate a lot more ideas (of what to do with everyday items). Participants
in groups A, B, and C showed no improvement when they during the second round
activities. The University of California researcher, Benjamin Baird, thinks
that daydreaming may help people to generate creative solutions to tasks that
they were already thinking about.
Dr. Michael Corballis, Emeritus
Professor of Psychology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, conducted
brain scans of 2,000 people while they were daydreaming. He revealed that
specific regions of the brain were more
active when people were daydreaming than when they were focusing deeply on trying
to find a solution to a problem – even though it seems counterintuitive. He
says the brain’s optimal performance occurred when people were daydreaming
about the future and not when they were concentrating on solving a problem.
Corballis indicated that
daydreaming enabled lateral thinking, such as imagining a situation or a
solution, which opened up more possibilities for solutions and new ideas or
insights. He said it was because the ideas occurred when they were least
expected, and they were also least likely to be rejected. Therefore the
daydreamer was more likely to accept “novelty” ideas – that is, new ideas.
It’s not just daydreaming
that sparks inspiration and creativity. Distractions and interruptions can also
generate inspiration. Scientific researchers call this the “incubation period”
for ideas – and the interruptions could include going for a walk, making coffee,
ironing, listening to music, or any activity that “interrupts” the concentrated
activity. Researchers think that any “semi-boring” activity seems to engage the
brain in daydreaming and producing “visions” that lead to creative ideas.
Corballis said there were
5 “B” activities that inspire creativity: bath, bed, bus transport, business
meetings, and boredom. Damon Young, Philosophy Fellow at the University of
Melbourne, Australia, added another “B” activity: body movement. Inspirations
often come when walking, running, or doing yoga – mostly individual
non-rigorous movement.
So instead of trying to
squeeze ideas out of your brain by focusing deeply on problem solving, let your
mind wander while you walk instead. Who knows what your daydreaming will
generate?
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