How Breaks and Downtime Can Supercharge Your Creativity
Think More. Do Less. Be More Productive.
Have you ever wondered why some of our best ideas come to us in the shower? Or perhaps while you are on a walk? Sometimes we are so concerned about being productive we forget we need to give ourselves time to think about what should be next. Instead, we continue to push forward because we believe that is what is always necessary. Our brains and body need some downtime; time to recover and recharge. In doing so, we can actually make ourselves more productive.
Research shows that breaks and downtime dramatically improves both productivity and creativity. Employees know that breaks help them perform better in their jobs. And doctors and scientists have shows in study after study that your brain simply works better at creating new ideas when it is not stressed or pushed to its limits.
Finding time to allow our minds to wander can produce some of the most productive time we have. Not productive in the sense of getting things done, but productive meaning new ideas, innovation, outside the box thinking. The act of relaxing and not charging forward on something allows our brains to work subconsciously. When we do, many times we find the ideas and solutions to those most vexing problems we have been seeking for so long. It is the reason that the shower is the location of so many great ideas. We are relaxed, not thinking about anything, suddenly we have an answer to something we had been working on for days or weeks.
This can become a practice, a habit even. I, too, have struggled to get past trying to make every minute a productive minute in the sense of accomplishing something. However, I almost always find that when I do turn off the podcasts, the personal device screens, and get away from them that my brain begins to teem with new ideas and energy for different concepts. While I do not schedule these types of sessions, I am conscious of the need to make it a regular practice in the car, at the office, or home. They don’t have to be long sessions, just a couple of minutes will often times do the trick. And even if the ‘big’ idea doesn’t pop into your head, it is still good to give yourself a break every so often.
Use your take five breaks to let your mind wander
I have previously discussed creating blocks of time for getting small tasks completed. Use one of those time blocks to avoid all tasks, turn off all your devices, and just relax. Take a quick walk outside, especially if it is a nice day. In many cases, in retail, this is even easier for those working in a store. Tell your team you are taking a break and head outside for a quick walk around the building or up and down the sidewalk in your shopping center. I promise you’ll feel a new energy when you get back. Use that time to enjoy what is around you and not what is or isn’t happening in your store.
If you don’t want to go outside or cannot for whatever reason, find a quiet spot and close your eyes for a couple of minutes and work hard to not think of anything specific. Relax your shoulders, concentrate on your breathing, and take it easy for those five minutes. If you follow a meditation practice, this is the perfect time for that. I have mentioned the app Headspace before, which has very short sessions you can select that can help you clear your mind and reset.
Intentional thinking
On the flip side, plan time to think. Set aside a 20 to 30-minute block of time each week to think about where you want to go in the future. This could be an excellent time to brainstorm an idea you’ve been working on or build a mind map of a project you would like to start.
I like to put on some music, start with a blank canvas, and sketch out ideas as they pop into my head. Sometimes I start with a specific topic, and other times I am letting new ideas pop in and out of my head and follow them where they take me. Every so often I look back through those notes and find that it is a good time to begin them, or they add something new to what I am already working on.
Specifically setting aside that time to think will ensure you are in that mindset of doing nothing but thinking and ideating. For me, the act of opening the mind mapping app and putting on some music is the trigger for me to get set to think. I don’t have much more structure than that and I let the ideas and thoughts flow.
In the end, taking time to relax and think can help us come up with great ideas. By setting aside moments to rest and moments to brainstorm, we can boost our creativity. It's not about stopping work; it's about improving our work. When we let our minds wander, we can find amazing solutions and new thoughts. So, next time you feel like you need to keep working nonstop, remember that sometimes the best thing you can do is take a break and let your mind explore. You might be surprised by what you discover.
What activities do you do to free up your mind and allow new ideas to flow through?
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Photo by Ravi Pinisetti on Unsplash