5 ms·

Creative people enjoy idle time more than others: study

67 points by shsachdev 3y ago

heinrichhartman 3y ago
I am pretty sure the study is not able to distinguish causality from coronation. To me, the reverse implication seems more likely: Downtime makes you creative.
- philipov 3y ago
  "People who enjoy idle time tend to be more creative" seems like an equivalent statement. It doesn't have to imply causality one way or the other. And I think the word you're looking for is correlation, not coronation.
- civilitty 3y ago
  > I am pretty sure the study is not able to distinguish causality from coronation. It's sociology research. They wouldn't know their coronation from their correlation.
  - jabradoodle 3y ago
    As opposed to which social sciences that do? At least it isn't a neo liberal mouth piece like economics.
    - etrautmann 3y ago
      You’re claiming the field of economics is liberal?
      - asimovfan 3y ago
        Isn't it?
- fasthands9 3y ago
  I feel like their study is pretty flimsy for many reasons - but they had random people sit in a room with not much to do and observed how productive they were. If you assumed this was measuring something real, then your implied causation doesnt make sense. Everyone was given equal time.
- JimtheCoder 3y ago
  "Downtime makes you creative." I am not sure I agree with that. Being creative is an act in itself, IMO. You're not sitting around bored, and then a brilliant idea pops out...
  - steve_adams_86 3y ago
    No, but downtime might lead to people pursuing stimulating activities and thoughts, which could necessitate creative thinking. I don’t know which comes first. I’m not a creative person in the slightest so I have no insights about it.
  - nicbou 3y ago
    Kind of? I do my best work during road trips, because I am forced to be alone with my thoughts for hours on end. Ideas just tend to float the surface if you don't muddle the waters. I deliberately integrate a bit of boredom into my work. I force myself to let things rest until I figure out a better design. I go on walks or have tea on the balcony to let good ideas form.
  - waynesonfire 3y ago
    If you're too busy trying to put food on the table it leaves little time to explorer, be creative, in ways that doesn't move you up the needs pyramid, at least in the short term. Or, just "busy" doing other shit. Indeed, downtime is required for creativity. At a workplace, if you've got super tight deadlines you don't have much space to explorer ideas. That deadspace is vital to produce better solutions. Assuming it's not wasted reading HN.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - philipov 3y ago
    Downtime doesn't make you creative, but downtime gives you space to be creative. Boredom is a critical ingredient in my creativity, because when I'm bored, I find creative ways to fill the boredom. Boredom is the purest reservoir of intrinsic motivation one can tap.

67 points by shsachdev 3y ago

I am pretty sure the study is not able to distinguish causality from coronation. To me, the reverse implication seems more likely: Downtime makes you creative.

philipov 3y ago
"People who enjoy idle time tend to be more creative" seems like an equivalent statement. It doesn't have to imply causality one way or the other. And I think the word you're looking for is correlation, not coronation.
civilitty 3y ago
> I am pretty sure the study is not able to distinguish causality from coronation. It's sociology research. They wouldn't know their coronation from their correlation.
- jabradoodle 3y ago
  As opposed to which social sciences that do? At least it isn't a neo liberal mouth piece like economics.
  - etrautmann 3y ago
    You’re claiming the field of economics is liberal?
    - asimovfan 3y ago
      Isn't it?
fasthands9 3y ago
I feel like their study is pretty flimsy for many reasons - but they had random people sit in a room with not much to do and observed how productive they were. If you assumed this was measuring something real, then your implied causation doesnt make sense. Everyone was given equal time.
JimtheCoder 3y ago
"Downtime makes you creative." I am not sure I agree with that. Being creative is an act in itself, IMO. You're not sitting around bored, and then a brilliant idea pops out...
- steve_adams_86 3y ago
  No, but downtime might lead to people pursuing stimulating activities and thoughts, which could necessitate creative thinking. I don’t know which comes first. I’m not a creative person in the slightest so I have no insights about it.
- nicbou 3y ago
  Kind of? I do my best work during road trips, because I am forced to be alone with my thoughts for hours on end. Ideas just tend to float the surface if you don't muddle the waters. I deliberately integrate a bit of boredom into my work. I force myself to let things rest until I figure out a better design. I go on walks or have tea on the balcony to let good ideas form.
- waynesonfire 3y ago
  If you're too busy trying to put food on the table it leaves little time to explorer, be creative, in ways that doesn't move you up the needs pyramid, at least in the short term. Or, just "busy" doing other shit. Indeed, downtime is required for creativity. At a workplace, if you've got super tight deadlines you don't have much space to explorer ideas. That deadspace is vital to produce better solutions. Assuming it's not wasted reading HN.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- philipov 3y ago
  Downtime doesn't make you creative, but downtime gives you space to be creative. Boredom is a critical ingredient in my creativity, because when I'm bored, I find creative ways to fill the boredom. Boredom is the purest reservoir of intrinsic motivation one can tap.