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Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

news.stanford.edu

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Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#11

Post by TomJansen »

paperwasp42 wrote: post #6

Interesting to see this confirmed by a study. As a writer, I've always found walks to be immensely helpful when plotting. A brisk 30-min walk is usually enough to solve any tricky plot-holes I run into. Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentra…

I have jogging buddies sometimes but we don't talk when we are running, so that could be an option?

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#12

Post by hawk_ »

Frost1x wrote: post #9
paperwasp42 wrote: post #6

Interesting to see this confirmed by a study. As a writer, I've always found walks to be immensely helpful when plotting. A brisk 30-min walk is usually enough to solve any tricky plot-holes I run into. Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentra…

>Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentrate on anything else. I cannot have "jogging buddies" for this reason. It's simply too difficult to listen/react to them when I have an overwhelming stream of imaginary conversation filling my skull. I f…

you're multitasking on the runs - one of the tasks is giving the critical reasoning part of the brain a break!

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#13

Post by paperwasp42 »

Frost1x wrote: post #9
paperwasp42 wrote: post #6

Interesting to see this confirmed by a study. As a writer, I've always found walks to be immensely helpful when plotting. A brisk 30-min walk is usually enough to solve any tricky plot-holes I run into. Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentra…

>Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentrate on anything else. I cannot have "jogging buddies" for this reason. It's simply too difficult to listen/react to them when I have an overwhelming stream of imaginary conversation filling my skull. I f…

Very interesting. Cortisol is a creativity killer for most people, so I guess it makes sense that cardio reduces your creativity.

I'm extremely curious why cardio can trigger such vastly different brain responses. My guess is that it has something to do with different hormone responses in different people, but I'll be following the science eagerly on this one.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#14

Post by paperwasp42 »

chiefalchemist wrote: post #8
paperwasp42 wrote: post #6

Interesting to see this confirmed by a study. As a writer, I've always found walks to be immensely helpful when plotting. A brisk 30-min walk is usually enough to solve any tricky plot-holes I run into. Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentra…

I've solved plenty of nagging problems e.g., what missing from this code?) 20 to 30 mins into a 60 min run. The rhythm and the disconnect gives my mind just enough space to step back, rethink, and then solve. Btw, the book "Your Brain at Work" by David Rock is worth a read if reading is your thing. https://davidrock.net/books/

That looks like an interesting read for sure! Thanks for the link.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#16

Post by georgewsinger »

> One possible future research issue: Is it walking per se or do other forms of mild physical activity have similar elevating effects?

I've always found that aimlessly driving around in a car improves my creativity (much the same as walking, if not more). Yet driving means you're sitting, and I wouldn't say driving involves much more physical activity than typing and moving a mouse.

Strange.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#17

Post by monkmartinez »

Frost1x wrote: post #9
paperwasp42 wrote: post #6

Interesting to see this confirmed by a study. As a writer, I've always found walks to be immensely helpful when plotting. A brisk 30-min walk is usually enough to solve any tricky plot-holes I run into. Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentra…

>Running has a similar, but immensely stronger, effect. Generally, I have near constant dialogue between my characters going on in the back of my head. When I run, it simply engulfs my mind, making it hard to concentrate on anything else. I cannot have "jogging buddies" for this reason. It's simply too difficult to listen/react to them when I have an overwhelming stream of imaginary conversation filling my skull. I f…

Try to lower the intensity and run slower. I can pump out 7:30 min/miles when in "go" mode. Thinking mode is 9 min/miles.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#18

Post by Daub »

A walk or a run is precisely what I recommend to my design students. Proponents of this strategy include George Turing, the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, the writer Jonathan Swift and the artist Joan Mirò.

Ref: Currey, M. 2013, Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, Knopf.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#20

Post by dang »

If curious, past threads:

Stanford study finds walking improves creativity (2014) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9718190 - June 2015 (83 comments)

Stanford study finds walking improves creativity - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7669818 - April 2014 (89 comments)

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