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Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

news.stanford.edu

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Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#61

Post by jonsen »

powersnail wrote: post #51
spurgu wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Glad that you got out of it! I am baffled by the amount of people people walking/running around with headphones, blasting music (or something else), never made any sense to me. I'd rather consume distracting/stimulating stuff within the comforts of white walls while leaving the mother nature surroundings to consumption with open eyes.

I guess that depends on where you walk. In mother nature's embrace, I prefer to walk with my senses open. Especially when I was in Virginia, I love walking on the trails. I could hear birds and insects, see trees and grasses, and sniff the fresh hearty aroma of the luxuriant ecosystem. It was pleasant to open up myself to the nature. Now that I live in a city, during my jog, I see vehicles, hear engines and leaf blow…

Cities are different. Copenhagen for example is the opposite of what you describe. I’ve walked miles and miles in Copenhagen. My head tilted just a little to also see what is above the shop fronts. A lot of beautiful architecture. Very inspiring. For a period I lived near a very large cemetery. Many many peaceful walks there. Not a living soul there to disturb your creativity.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#62

Post by arsome »

pixelmonkey wrote: post #28

Relatedly, I’ve tried to reduce my habit of listening to podcasts on long walks. I didn’t realize (until way too late) that this habit was stealing creative time from my brain. Podcasts flip my brain into “passive media consumer” mode during what were otherwise my most intellectually creative minutes and hours, and nonfiction/business/tech podcasts also fool my ego into thinking that the podcast listening time is “pr…

Interesting, I was never able to motivate myself to do much walking until I started putting podcasts on. With them though it's become a daily habit.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#63

Post by tonyedgecombe »

droidist2 wrote: post #7
Dig1t wrote: post #4

I find that walking makes me more creative because its so boring. My mind starts to wander and try and entertain itself. Its nice to get out and enjoy nature, but on the whole I find that walking is mentally beneficial because it reduces stimulus and allows my mind to explore ideas.

I think this is the mechanism behind the shower effect too.

Anything mindless, when I’m stuck on a problem I often go and wash the dishes.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#64

Post by kumaranv »

PhillyG wrote: post #58
ant6n wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people do their thinking on the pot... or at least they used to, before cell phones.

Partly for this reason, I've been considering starting an open source project to make a mobile-first Web based app/website development environment. That way, whenever I realise I'm distractedly using my phone (not just on the loo!) I can flip over to a different website and get back to figuring out whatever code has got me stumped recently :)

mobile phones are huge distraction for everyone nowadays. I used to carry it everywhere (even for loo) and take more time than usual to complete that task. If there's a product to make people less distracted, then it will be of great use

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#65

Post by xtmto »

Never thought that the environment would have less impact, always feel more inspired in quieter and more visual environments, wonder if it is offset by me being distracted by the surroundings perhaps.

Also knew this joke would be in there "The study’s strong findings will have legs"

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#67

Post by jonsen »

ant6n wrote: post #57
kumaranv wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Woow. There's a study proving it. Walking is the best option to me whenever I have to do something new. I keep thinking about it to get a better solution. I will be able to think about it without much distraction.

Most people do their thinking on the pot... or at least they used to, before cell phones.

Thinking fast when on the spot

Thinking slow when on the pot

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#68

Post by lelanthran »

I don't think it's the walking, I think it's the enforced solitude.

Here in South Africa, under the glorious rule of the ANC (*spits) we have frequent blackouts. I've found that most of the best creative ideas I've had were during the blackouts.

Related: between 2009 and 2016 I made a 600km trip twice a month to see my son. Many of the best creative ideas I've had came out of those trips.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#69

Post by csunbird »

Dig1t wrote: post #4

I find that walking makes me more creative because its so boring. My mind starts to wander and try and entertain itself. Its nice to get out and enjoy nature, but on the whole I find that walking is mentally beneficial because it reduces stimulus and allows my mind to explore ideas.

I think its related to body being a distraction all the time for the mind. The action of walking, riding a bicycle or just keeping your hands busy with sufficiently automated work, keeps your mind free of the bodily distractions, since body is already busy.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#70

Post by RamblingCTO »

spurgu wrote: post #42
pixelmonkey wrote: post #28

Relatedly, I’ve tried to reduce my habit of listening to podcasts on long walks. I didn’t realize (until way too late) that this habit was stealing creative time from my brain. Podcasts flip my brain into “passive media consumer” mode during what were otherwise my most intellectually creative minutes and hours, and nonfiction/business/tech podcasts also fool my ego into thinking that the podcast listening time is “pr…

Glad that you got out of it! I am baffled by the amount of people people walking/running around with headphones, blasting music (or something else), never made any sense to me. I'd rather consume distracting/stimulating stuff within the comforts of white walls while leaving the mother nature surroundings to consumption with open eyes.

That also depends on the people. I, for example, have ADD and music helps me get in the zone, because it's just enough distraction to ignore other noise. I listen to a lot of music or endel while working.
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