Sometimes we face a problem that seems unsolvable, and then in the shower, sometime between using shampoo and conditioner, we find the solution. If you have ever had this experience, you should know it happens to many people. Scientists have researched to find out the cause of this phenomenon and have achieved exciting results. In the following, we describe some of this research and get acquainted with concepts such as the “shower effect” and “mind wandering.”
shower effect
We devise a creative solution when we get away from a subject, especially when we’re doing something that doesn’t require concentration (like taking a shower). The University of Virginia researchers named this phenomenon the “shower effect.”
But why does this hot and steamy environment lead to the formation of exciting ideas? Scientists have been discussing the “shower effect” and why it occurs for years. According to recent research, focusing too much on one thing can be the enemy of creativity.
According to the findings, instead of thinking deeply about the problem until you arrive at the answer, it is better to take a break and do something different, like taking a shower, that you find a little interesting. This allows your mind to be free, aimless, and accessible. Researchers believe that when your thoughts are aimless and wandering, you are more likely to develop brilliant ideas.
In addition to the body, a shower also calms the mind and causes rivers of awareness, light, and creativity to flow. According to research, the so-called “shower effect” can occur anywhere else. Many ideas come to our minds when we are doing our daily tasks. These ideas are formed and perfected in the background of our minds.
A study about the shower effect
In a 2019 study, 98 professional writers and 87 physicists were asked to record their most creative ideas each day and to write down what they were doing or thinking when those ideas came to mind.
Although most ideas were generated at work, 20 percent of the participants’ best ideas came while doing something else, such as washing dishes or taking a shower. According to the authors and physicists participating in this research, ideas outside the work environment were as creative and vital as those formed in their workplace. But these ideas also differed; These spontaneous thoughts and ideas in the shower were more likely to be Archimedes’ “I found” experience in the bathtub.
mind-wandering
The “shower effect” is the result of mental wandering. Mind wandering is a condition in which we think about everything but our actions. Mind wandering has many benefits because it allows us to distance ourselves from the problem we cannot solve and give our mind a break. In a survey of 1100 people, it was found that their moments of insight occurred during the reason of wandering in the shower (30%), while commuting (13%), or during exercise (11%).
The importance of attractiveness
The attractiveness of what we do dramatically influences creative thinking; Too little beauty makes that work dull, and too much beauty makes us not pay enough attention to creativity. Suppose you are caught in a problem; What are you doing? You probably do something that entertains you, like going for a walk or gardening, or taking a shower. All these activities are slightly pleasant and occupy our minds to some extent.
Research indicated that having free and spontaneous thoughts during a relatively pleasant and attractive activity increases creativity. In this research, more than 300 students were first asked to suggest new uses for everyday objects, such as bricks or paper clips, in 90 seconds. This task is called “Alternative Uses Exercise,” which measures people’s creativity.
Then the participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group watched a fascinating three-minute scene from the movie “When Harry Saw Sally.” The second group watched a three-minute video of two men folding laundry. After watching the video, both groups were given 45 seconds to add more ideas to their previously proposed ideas.
What were the test results?
The researchers scored the number of ideas presented and their innovation and initiative. Students who watched the relatively engaging video came up with more creative solutions because their mind wandering made them more creative. An activity like taking a shower or walking (or watching a romantic comedy video) takes some of our attention and affects our thoughts. Still, it doesn’t make us notice the creative ideas forming in the background.
Participants who watched the laundry video were less likely to come up with unusual and innovative ideas than the other group. The researchers concluded that “different types of thinking lead to creative incubation during engaging and boring tasks. “Although engaging tasks lead to productive mind-wandering, boring tasks can also be beneficial because they allow one to oscillate between periods of focused and freewheeling thinking.”
The result of the experiment was that mind wandering, or the free movement of thoughts, facilitates the generation of new ideas. Researchers have found that less engaging activities, such as taking a shower or walking, can generate the most creativity. A balance between concentration and mind wandering seems to produce the best results. When doing things like showering and walking, we receive stimuli from our environment that researchers say can help increase creativity.
Distance from the problem
The research you read in the previous section indicates the importance of the incubation period or staying away from the problem to solve it. Some people are so committed to their work that they don’t stop until they get a creative idea or an answer to their question. But this is counterproductive because they don’t allow their mind to take a break from the problem.
When you’re stumped and can’t come up with a creative solution, letting go of the problem and doing a completely unrelated activity can spark creativity. Enjoying a hot shower or a walk in the park isn’t the wrong way to solve the world’s most challenging problems. Not thinking about what we believe is relevant and letting go of our assumptions about the world can be helpful for creative problem-solving.
Identify the source of creativity.
Our ability to generate new ideas and creative thoughts probably comes from the brain’s default mode network (DMN). The default mode network, or DMN, consists of a set of brain regions that are active when we are engrossed in our thoughts (such as during mind wandering).
The existing evidence about the role of DMN in creativity has been correlational, but a study in January 2022 provided the first direct evidence that showed that DMN is causally related to creative thinking; that is, they have a cause-and-effect relationship.
In this study, 13 patients underwent brain tumor removal surgery. They had to stay awake so that the surgeons could create a complete brain map of their cortical areas with electrical stimulation so as not to damage the healthy parts of the brain accidentally. This method stimulates a specific amount of the brain with a weak electric current for a short period.
During surgery, patients performed “alternative uses practice,” unusual listing uses for everyday objects. When surgeons stimulated a part of the brain within the DMN, the patient’s ability to think of creative ideas was temporarily lost.
For example, in the beginning, one of the patients found many creative uses for rubber: using it instead of cushions and garden fountains or cutting it into smaller pieces to make ornaments. But when researchers electrically stimulated parts of his DMN, he struggled to think of new and creative uses for the pencil, saying, “You can draw with it, you can draw cartoons, hmm… more for drawing.”
Using the shower effect to improve creativity
Now that we are familiar with the shower effect and its importance, you might ask yourself how we can use it to be more creative and find answers to complex problems. To use the shower effect:
- Give yourself a break: take a walk or take a shower. This will both reduce stress and make you think differently.
- Seek change: A change in environment can expose the brain to new stimuli and give us new insights. But don’t forget that this change should be related to something attractive and, to some extent, engages our minds. For example, taking a shower can be considered a change because we are dressed most of the day, and water does not fall on our heads.
- Be persistent: Like muscles, creativity gets better with repeated work.
- Notice what puts you in a creative thinking state: Think about what your mind is doing during different activities to identify experiences that put your mind in a more resourceful state. Do you feel that when you shower, you are still stressed about different things or do you feel relaxed, and your mind is flooded with other thoughts?
you say
The research you read explains how our brains can develop creative ideas or find answers to complex problems while resting and doing pleasant activities like taking a shower or walking. Of course, we need more research to investigate why the shower effect. What is your opinion? Do you think this is an excellent way to get creative? Have you ever experienced the shower effect? We would be happy to share your thoughts and experiences with us.
