I’ve
always noticed that my best ideas come while I’m in the shower. I suspect I’m
not the only one. When I’m in the shower problems suddenly become simpler to
solve, thoughts are clearer, and planning is easier.
It’s
not hygiene that makes it happen. It’s the state of relaxation and low levels
of stress that frees up our minds.
I guess the most famous case of innovation in a bathtub
can be attributed to Archimedes. He reportedly proclaimed "Eureka!"
when he stepped into a bath and noticed that the water level rose—he suddenly
understood that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of
the part of his body he had submerged. He is said to have been so eager to share his discovery
that he leapt out of his bathtub and ran through the streets of Syracuse naked.
Another known legend is that Sir Isaac Newton’s discovery
of the force of gravity came while he was resting under an apple tree and
observed as an apple fell to the ground.
Whether these are simply great stories or actual historic
events is not important. Research has shown that our brains operate best when
we are relaxed and our minds are clear of negative stressful thoughts. This
state of relaxation allows our brains to think more clearly, as well as wander
freely, which leads to more creative thinking.
Such a state of relaxation can be achieved in several
ways, including yoga, meditation, and being outdoors in the nature. Perhaps the
easiest way is simply taking a nice long shower or bath.
You are not the first one to claim he/she is getting good ideas in the shower... However, I would claim that there is another condition to it--you have to have plenty of "pieces of ideas" in your head already. In the shower (or while driving, or any other "creativity inducing" environment), you simply make the connection between those pieces of ideas, thus creating a whole one of value. But you need to have those pieces in your head before you go to the shower. Otherwise, you will only come out clean...
ReplyDeleteHi Yoram,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the good comment. You're making a good point. I agree, relaxation in itself is not enough to generate innovation. It's more like an enabler.
Thanks and Best Regards,
Ziv.