We’ve all heard someone say, “The idea came to me while I was taking a shower.”
Why? What is it about showers that enable such moments of brilliance?
The water?
The soap?
The time alone?
This post explains some of the more scientific reasons, but one piece of the answer is that taking a shower provides us with uninterrupted quiet time. We have not yet cluttered our heads with the finer points of the day’s agenda and no email, coworkers or silly pet videos are vying for our attention.
Where do you find quiet time for creative thinking?
We all need quiet places to think, especially the introverts among us, but finding time away from the barrage of people and information demanding our attention can be challenging. We must exert both effort and creativity to carve out time alone so we can settle our thoughts and give our subconscious a chance to break through with that brilliant solution we’ve been searching for.
All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone. Blaise Pascal
Here are 12 places to recharge your creativity (besides the shower)
- The tub – Bathtub, hot tub, Jacuzzi, whichever. A relaxing soak in hot water may be just what you need to unwind and tune in to your creative self.
- Your favorite chair, at 5:00 am – How do you find peace and quiet in your very own home? Get up before the rest of the household, or stay up after they’ve gone to bed. Whichever time is most productive for you, make the most of it.
- A coffee shop – for many modern urbanites this is the sanctuary of choice. A quiet place to sit and think alongside others who are doing the same.
- A library – Provides the same peaceful, alone-with-others atmosphere as a coffee shop, but without the barista.
- A local sidewalk – Stroll through the park at lunch, take the dog around the block, or even walk the hallways to the bathroom at the other end of the building. A few minutes away from it all can give your brain a chance to recharge.
- A lunch table for one – In the midst of a busy day at the office, eating lunch alone might be your best hope for a few minutes of private thinking time. Find a hidden spot, close your office door or pretend to read a book to discourage friends from stopping by to chat.
- The gym – If solo exercise is your thing, this might be the ultimate recharger
- The yoga mat – Even in a group, yoga is about turning inward and finding that quiet place. Try it.
- The unplugged zone – Sort of like the Twilight Zone, only scarier: No phone, no computer, no TV, not even a radio. How long can you last without your devices?
- The quiet car – During his first week of commuting to the city for a summer internship, my son discovered the train had a “quiet car” where phone conversations are prohibited and all talking is kept to a minimum. An hour of peace and quiet? Ahhh.
- Your own quiet car – Do you normally drive with the radio on? Try turning it off and give your brain a few minutes without audio input. Even more challenging, agree not to talk while driving with a friend. The silence may seem deafening at first, but stick it out and see what ideas float by.
- The beach – Not everyone is fortunate to have an ocean within walking distance, but those who do often find it a source of inspiration. (When it’s not crowded with tourists, anyway.)
What are your favorite places to slow down and recharge your creative juices?
Looking for more ways to recharge? Try this post.
James says
I ride a motorbike for alone time. If I get lucky I ride it to do lunch alone. BTW I loved the article on not fixing people too. You’ve been really tearing it up lately on this blog thing.
Lisa says
Thanks for the encouragement. It’s good to know that everyone can find their own unique way to claim some quality alone time.