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The Power of Shower Thoughts

alexanderell.is

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Re: The Power of Shower Thoughts

#31

Post by fenwick67 »

simlevesque wrote: post #22
kstenerud wrote: post #16

It just has to be some repetitive physical activity that doesn't require intense thought or mental focus. This can be chopping wood, taking a shower, walking, hiking, running, riding a bike, taking the dog for a walk, doing the dishes, etc. The key is: 1. No particular mental focus 2. Some kind of physical movement Your mind eventually starts to spin on autopilot, which is when it is able to mix things it can't while…

I throw my yoyo. Once you are good, your mind will wander.

This is a great idea, I bought into the yoyo fad as a kid in the 00s and still have the muscle memory for it, might try this out.

Re: The Power of Shower Thoughts

#32

Post by kiba »

retrac wrote: post #30
kstenerud wrote: post #16

It just has to be some repetitive physical activity that doesn't require intense thought or mental focus. This can be chopping wood, taking a shower, walking, hiking, running, riding a bike, taking the dog for a walk, doing the dishes, etc. The key is: 1. No particular mental focus 2. Some kind of physical movement Your mind eventually starts to spin on autopilot, which is when it is able to mix things it can't while…

> Some kind of physical movement Much of our thought is based on metaphor of body movement.

A neuroscientist once said that our brain's primary purpose is to coordinate movement.

Re: The Power of Shower Thoughts

#34

Post by kpU8efre7r »

eloff wrote: post #2

Somehow when I take a break to do something mindless, showering being especially high on the list, I often am able to step back from the problem and get some perspective. Yesterday I realized I was making the solution to complex by separating concerns and could combine them and greatly simplify the task. Five minutes in the shower yielded more forward progress than three long days of coding. It doesn't always help, b…

You didn't shower in 3 days?!

Kidding aside this is exactly my experience as well. It's weird because without trying, the solution just bubbles up unprompted and seemingly from nowhere. Like you never shower hoping for insight but it's a common occurrence.

Re: The Power of Shower Thoughts

#37

Post by eloff »

snarf21 wrote: post #8
eloff wrote: post #2

Somehow when I take a break to do something mindless, showering being especially high on the list, I often am able to step back from the problem and get some perspective. Yesterday I realized I was making the solution to complex by separating concerns and could combine them and greatly simplify the task. Five minutes in the shower yielded more forward progress than three long days of coding. It doesn't always help, b…

The commute to work helps me as well. I think this is something that can get lost for people who work from home. Too many people are so focused on heads down LOC/hour and forget that the software is art. I've worked with good engineers that can't touch type. Designing effective maintainable solutions is hard and should be the thing that people focus on.

I can't touch type. Although with somewhat reduced accuracy I pick type with two hands without looking at the keyboard. Still speed of text entry is rarely the bottleneck for me, and I benefit ergonomically from having my wrists free in the air.

I also work at home, so I guess my shower is like your commute.

Re: The Power of Shower Thoughts

#38

Post by zwkrt »

gallerdude wrote: post #36

"Just think about it deeply. Then forget it, and an idea will jump up in your face."

A mentor of mine once said that information acquisition is intentional, like eating, but learning is subconscious, like digestion. He liked to say “you can’t help but learn!”

Re: The Power of Shower Thoughts

#39

Post by Vervious »

keitmo wrote: post #24

This is one of the many reasons I love bike commuting. I solve many work-related problems while I'm riding.

My bike commute was anything but routine. Cars making unsafe right turns one day, pedestrians in the bike lane the next, black ice the third day...

Re: The Power of Shower Thoughts

#40

Post by charles_f »

I call it backprocess, it's fun how when you let go sometimes it comes with new conclusions and more clarity. It's also super comforting to have this inner "friend" do some of the thinking for yo.

The other thing I've noticed is how it's sometimes hard to concentrate on something else when you're going through a significant cognitive process (changing jobs, arguments, work hassles...), even if you are not actively thinking about it. As if your brain's cycles were taken by something else.

I've started to notice the pattern (hard to focus, distracted), attribute it to backprocess, realize that whatever triggered it must be significant, and expect to yield results at some point.

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