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Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

news.stanford.edu

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Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#71

Post by paperwasp42 »

Dowwie wrote: post #59
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…

If you can think about work while running, you're jogging at best. Every plateau I hit with my running is the result of distraction and is broken through by being present, focusing on form and deliberately running. I've gained weight and haven't realized the full benefits of exercise because I've thought about work. It's at odds with achieving healthful living..

For me, those sorts of intense bursts of creativity aren't "thinking about work." It's an unconscious rush of thought that I couldn't hold back if I tried. It's basically a natural high, and I find it extremely refreshing and mentally healthy.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#72

Post by chriselles »

One of my favourite professors at GSB was Baba Shiv.

He was quite generous with his time.

But the only catch was you had to walk and talk, usually to the dish.

Personally, I’ve shifted from running to rucking(walking with weighted pack) and I often write myself notes while walking now.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#73

Post by burnished »

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.

Familiar music can be really invigorating for a creative thought walk. In my own personal experience it can help me tune out other distracting stimuli, like people places and things.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#74

Post by burnished »

Dowwie wrote: post #59
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…

If you can think about work while running, you're jogging at best. Every plateau I hit with my running is the result of distraction and is broken through by being present, focusing on form and deliberately running. I've gained weight and haven't realized the full benefits of exercise because I've thought about work. It's at odds with achieving healthful living..

My experience agrees with your first statement, but more in the sense that really good thinking was possible when I was at a pace I felt confident I could maintain for an hour or two without being overly tired afterwards. Of course that pace increased over time and eventually my 'jog' pace was faster than my starting 'run' pace.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#76

Post by droidist2 »

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #63
droidist2 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

When I'm in the kitchen I'll put on cable news, which is also mindless but of a different type. I should try doing it in silence.

Re: Study finds walking improves creativity (2014)

#77

Post by mcjkrw »

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…

I used to feel similar about a city I lived in for quite a time. In winter it was super depressing. Imagine communist architecture everywhere, short winter days, often foggy. I got maniac about zen meditation stuff and I decided that I will try to be aware to surroundings to the best I can when I walk and the change was mindblowing. I really started to appreciate the walks in what once was a very depressing landscape, the picture got much more clear and vivid. So much stuff happenning, I enjoyed "tuning to the beat of the city". I also started to notice whatever little pieces of nature were left, like birds signing or naked trees here and there (in winter). Suddenly a walk in a busy city centre could be just as refreshing as a walk in the forest. Maybe even more refreshing (to me). I have noticed that in peaceful places I have more tendency to get stuck in my head, while in busy places, it's easier to focus outward and observe.
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