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Here here to this. For some reason when I'm taking a shower, I usually come up with solutions to problems that I've never been able to do elsewhere. Probably
by catch23 14y ago
Here here to this. For some reason when I'm taking a shower, I usually come up with solutions to problems that I've never been able to do elsewhere. Probably because when I'm not in the shower, I'm "keeping busy" and that restricts my creative abilities.
- dmor 14y agoBut would you say that time in the shower is "wasted" if your mind is actively on and turning over a problem?
- Swizec 14y agoPersonally, it took me a long time to realize that time was not wasted. Mostly because it doesn't feel directly productive. Also, having your mind actively on and turning over a problem defeats the purpose of letting your mind wander freely in search of serendipitous solutions. Having it actively "on" is the same as keeping busy.
- catch23 14y agoI think the idea is that you have do something with the full intention of "wasting" time to trick your mind into thinking creatively. I usually don't step into the shower ready to tackle a hard problem -- it's not the best place to do any kind of work. And I'm sure if I decided to solve a particular problem in the shower, I would probably not come up with a solution -- it's when you don't intend to work, do creative solutions appear in front of you. When you decide to solve a problem, your mind goes at it with a very direct engineered approach which may not reveal solutions that come from a different angle. Also, I've found when I can't think of solutions, it's usually due to my mind being tired, and the best way to solve it is to actually waste time -- go for a bike ride or something that forces your mind to stop thinking.