Here are a few excerpts from a book I recently read, "Live Your Best Life: 219 Science-based Reasons to Rethink Your Daily Routine," by Stuart Farrimond.
Noisy workplaces are hard to concentrate in, but complete silence can stifle thought for many. In fact, some background noise, be it the tick of a clock, distant chatter, or musical murmurings from the radio seem to activate the “watching” brain network and help us stay focused. Around 50 decibels, the sound of rainfall, seems to be the sweet spot for most of us. Extroverted people tend to thrive in noisier places, whereas more reflective types may founder in such an environment. Noise-canceling headphones can be useful—although the downside is you may lose out on valuable interaction with colleagues. In a shared workspace, decisions about noise and tidiness levels invariably require compromise.
Anxiety and stress are the enemy of aimless thought. Feeling under threat restrains the brain’s “wandering” default mode network and instead nudges the brain toward its vigilant salience network. Writer’s block is a mental trap brought on by becoming anxious about a lack of creativity. This becomes a vicious circle that makes it even more difficult to think creatively, upping the anxiety further.
If you’re feeling blocked, take a break and relax so your brain switches back to its wandering network. Monotonous tasks, like doing dishes or driving, can calm the mind enough to bring on an epiphany, which is why cruising along the highway can ignite our best ideas.
Contrary to what you might expect, you are often at your creative best just when you think you are at your worst. This is because creativity and lateral thought flourish when your mind is in its wandering, default mode network, which is more likely when your concentrating, executive control network is running at low ebb. For night owls, creativity is maximal in the morning; for morning larks, the best ideas tend to come in the evening.
The three brain networks—wandering, watching, and concentrating—work together to develop your creativity. Learning new skills helps your brain form new pathways, encouraging these three networks to collaborate more effectively. Allow time for creativity and work in a space that encourages you to be creative, without trying to force it. Take regular breaks to prompt your brain to think outside the box. Get enough rest and sleep, since anxiety-inducing pressure will choke creativity.
Remarkably, the brains of new parents rewire, retuning the dopamine-driven reward system to be more motivated toward childcare rather than sex.
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