How to Create Daily Spaces to Think

 In 1687, British philosopher, physicist, and mathematician Isaac Newton happened to be lounging in a garden when he saw an apple fall from a nearby tree. Playing this common and seemingly simple event over and over in his mind, he began to ponder: Why did the apple fall? Why did it fall straight down? Why didn’t it topple sideways?

The more he considered this problem, the clearer the solution became: Surely, some natural force must have acted on the apple that caused it to behave as it did. Inspired, he returned to his home and began to assemble what became the Theory of Gravity. And the world has never been the same.

This classic story, one familiar to school children everywhere, illustrates a simple but profound lesson: To be truly creative, we need time to think.

Unfortunately, despite the constant drumbeat for “disruption” and “innovation,” the modern business world affords its players scant time to just sit back and imagine. Since Frederick Winslow Taylor first published The Principles of Scientific Management in 1911, “efficiency” has been the alpha and omega of organizational thinking.

The ramifications? For one thing, employees, be they assembly line workers or CEOs, are expected to be quantitatively “productive” every minute of the workday. In blue-collar manufacturing, this is usually measured by units produced per hour. In many white-collar professions, staff must “time track” their activities, accounting for every 15-minute interval. Many companies have even installed computer software called keyloggers that records every keystroke an employee makes to measure their daily output. A lunch break? You better be using it for brainstorming and networking if you are paid a salary.

The obvious problem here is that we’re in such a rush to get things done that we don’t have time to do the kind of contemplating required to promote true creativity. If companies are to compete in the 21st century, this must change.

In her new book, A Minute to Think, author Juliet Funt outlines ways to create daily space to, well, think. Juliet provides a very specific tool she calls “The Wedge,” which is a small space of time inserted between two activities one uses to ponder and reflect. Likewise, Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, published in 2015, similarly focuses on the need to step back and cultivate creativity.

Even so, the notion of simply taking a step back to clear the mind and allow creativity to flow is nothing new. Philosophers, spiritual leaders, and mystics have been promoting the benefits of mental “downtime” for literally centuries. For example, meditation was invented in South Asia as early at 3,000 BCE as a way to clear the mind, promote physical health, and achieve spiritual balance.

Interestingly, the word “mediation” itself comes from the Latin meditatum, meaning “to concentrate” or “to ponder,” suggesting that the ancients also understood and appreciated the practice’s intellectual and creative benefits. Religions worldwide default to rituals, chants, prayers, and mantras that, by their repetitive nature, serve the same purpose, clearing away mental clutter and opening the mind to new thoughts and concepts.

Chances are, you’ve experienced the benefits of this practice yourself without even noticing it. How many times have you gotten a terrific idea while taking a shower? Or walking a dog? Or when you’re just on the verge of sleep? How often have you found yourself wracking your brain to remember the name of a person or movie title, only to have it suddenly “pop” into your head when you’re thinking about something entirely different?

As psychologists and neuroscientists will tell you, the brain possesses ingenious ways of storing, processing, and retrieving information that doesn’t take straight, logical paths. As new information is added, these pathways often change, sending you into endless, frustrating “loops” that become blind alleys the harder you try to find your destination. The only way to break the loop is to get off the path. Clear your head. Think about something else. Let your mind settle down to create new sets of connections that will get you where you want.

As the authors cited above advise, you can also boost your professional performance by dedicating certain periods of the workday for non-work-related relaxation. Meditate. Listen to music. Take a walk. Despite what anyone might tell you, this is not a waste of time, as you’re likely to find that your creativity – and, more importantly, your productivity—increases the more you’re able to make this a daily habit.

Making “spaces” in the workday is just one of many strategies we have to create a more pleasant and productive workplace culture. To learn more about simple ways to get the most out of yourself and your company’s staff, contact me at laura@conoverconsulting.com.