 I mentioned in yesterday’s post about a couple of approaches to getting more creative and opening yourself up for new ideas. Although it may be challenging to find the time to focus on new ideas, it is possible and doesn’t require as much time as you think.
In the book called Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life by Trevor G. Blake, he refers to a study completed by Temple University in 2011. They found that the part of the brain where decisions, solutions and control can only handle so much information before it basically shuts down. We are taking in so much information now and it has become focused on the next text, email, tweet or post to the point where you can’t just take time off without feeling anxiety. The study concluded that “only when people take the time to quiet down the left brain, to forget about to-do lists and to unplug from all input, solutions often percolate up from the subconscious. History is filled with stories like this. A period of not thinking about the problem, then the answer simply appears.”
Have you ever had a dream and realized that it is the solution to something you were trying to figure out? Taking a shower and suddenly you have this new idea or a solution to a problem shows up for you. You are not focused on anything but sleeping or showering at those times, so your mind quiets just enough to let creativity show up. You can also just turn your phone off and sit quietly even if it only for 5-10 minutes. Many successful people do this each morning to prepare for their day and it helps them be more open to new ideas.
The book highlighted above has a process that can help you with taking the quiet approach each morning. I really enjoyed this book and the ideas he has to offer in it. It is not just a book about process though, it has a really great bunch of stories that are told throughout the book. I have recommended it to many clients to help them when they are feeling so overwhelmed. It really helped me when I had so much going on and needed to find ways to be more focused and creative. It helped me to stop thinking so much, taking in new information and being so busy. I didn’t believe it would work, but I had more creative ideas in meetings and at home. Give it a try and see what happens for you.
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