Need to create? Handle downtime like Churchill, Darwin and Dickens.
Creativity is widely valued and sought, especially in a competitive business context where novel ideas can be game changing. Yet, mostly from lack of knowledge, many of us spend the bulk of our days in a state of beta brain waves. This is problematic because hustling and driving toward outcomes keeps our brains from the downshift necessary to create.
From a physiological perspective, creativity occurs when your brain emits theta waves, which are triggered in a state of intense relaxation. In particular, theta waves are stimulated through slow, repetitive movements.
Need to brainstorm or ideate? Need to come up with a radically new idea? Need to be agile and innovative? Step out of execution mode and relax.
When you are creative, you activate multiple different sections of grey matter in your brain that get connected through the default mode network and white matter tracks. This is how you come up with new ideas and make new connections.
The white matter – which is the tracks inside the brain between nodes – creates the connections. That's why creativity feels like a sudden Eureka moment. You make a connection you have not made before.
Beyond the findings of research, we can model ourselves on famous artists, leaders and scientists who knew about the link between creativity and relaxation.
Walking is the gold standard for cueing creativity. For example, Charles Darwin built a path near his home where he could walk and think, while Charles Dickens would go for long walks, often at night, to decompress and let his mind wander.
But any slow, relaxed, repetitive motion will do. For example, Winston Churchill was an amateur brick layer and wall builder. Throughout his career as a statesman, notable orator and prolific author, Churchill built walls of brick and stone, often attributing his creativity to this practice.
So the next time one of your colleagues starts pacing around during a brainstorming session, cheer them on. And consider using walking meetings so you think in new and innovative ways as often as possible.
Want to learn more?
Check out my new book Rest Refocus Recharge! In the book I cover simple and innovative ways to fight fatigue, feel stronger and live better.
In a 24/7 world, it can be a real challenge to get proper rest and give your mind and body the opportunity to fully recharge. In my new book, I outline how small changes in the way you rest, refocus and recharge can help you improve your mental health, prevent illness and deliver optimal results. In high-performance athletic circles, “deliberate recovery” practices are the secret weapon of the very best. But you don’t have to be an elite athlete to benefit from these strategies. Rest Refocus Recharge offers simple and practical techniques that you can easily incorporate into your existing routine, including:
Rest and sleep
Relax and create
Reflect and learn
Recharge and focus
Regenerate and perform
Let me know what you think about this article and the new book in the comments section below!
