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A rare person does not want to be creative at least sometimes. But there is a stereotype that this is an innate quality that is not given to everyone. How do we get our brains to work for us when it comes to creativity? Here are three effective strategies.
1. Make friends with your anterior cingulate cortex
When talking about creativity, researchers always somehow touch on the concept of insight — the experience of sudden awareness of something, insight, when we suddenly understand the meaning of a joke or guess how to solve a difficult problem. This topic has been studied in detail by psychology professor Mark Beeman and cognitive psychologist John Kunios, authors of the book “The Eureka Moment. Aha reactions, creative insights and the brain.
Using an electroencephalogram and functional magnetic resonance imaging, they observed the brains of the subjects while they were solving indirect association problems. In particular, the participants in the experiment had to come up with a fourth word that would combine the previous three.
Some solved the problem logically, simply sorting through the words. Others suddenly had a hunch – that insight. Some have managed to use both strategies. The scientists recorded a burst of activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of the subjects just before the moment of insight.
“We all have non-obvious associations associated with solving a problem: strange thoughts, seemingly unpromising ideas. They are just the most creative,” explains John Kunios. – When activated, the AUC detects these secondary associations and signals the brain to turn all attention to them. At this point, we usually shout “Aha!” and solve the problem.”
Healthy sleep is the key to replenishing the energy needed to solve complex problems
But what activates the PPC? You won’t believe it, but… good mood. When we are in a good mood, the ACC becomes more receptive to strange thoughts and assumptions.
The fact is that a good mood implies that we feel safe, which means we give the ACP more time to recognize weaker signals; in addition, in this state, we are more inclined to take risks, and after all, creativity is always an entry into unfamiliar, potentially dangerous territory. New ideas can either cause problems or be difficult and fail to implement. And you have to be ready for this.
The practice of gratitude will help maintain the right mood – it helps the brain to concentrate on the positive and introduces an element of novelty – and awareness – it allows the mind to be in a calm and focused state, which means not to give out the first obvious result that comes across. On a biochemical level, the goal is to lower cortisol levels and increase the release of serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and norepinephrine.
And one more thing. Today, it is rare that an article of this kind does without advice on improving sleep. Healthy sleep is the key to replenishing the energy needed to solve complex problems. In addition, while we sleep, the brain is actively working and looking for non-obvious connections between ideas.
2. Set aside time for “doing nothing”
Burning deadlines and deadlines are a source of enormous stress. Pressure causes the brain to focus on details, activating the left hemisphere and making it impossible for us to see the whole picture. Stress also affects our mood, the world shrinks to a single point …
That is why it is simply necessary to include in our schedule the time when we are not busy with anything, when we can psychologically distance ourselves and dream. At this point, our unconscious mind is more likely to find distant associations between ideas. Taking a step aside, distancing ourselves from the problem, we can look at the situation from different angles.
An important point is that this time of “doing nothing” is important to spend alone. This is the only way to “endure” and “give birth” to an idea. This is confirmed by research data: for example, an experiment conducted by psychologists from the University of Utah in 2012 showed that after four days of seclusion in nature, subjects performed 50% better on standard creativity tests.
How to put this strategy into practice? Try to start every day with one and a half to two hours of “doing nothing.” Believe me, in the long run, this investment will bring huge dividends.
3. Think with stereotypes
We are taught to refuse them, but in order to think outside the box, we need some kind of support.
In an experiment on the relationship between creativity and boundaries, one group of students was dictated 8 nouns and asked to use them to compose poems. And the subjects from the other group were asked to simply compose poetry, without giving any required words. An independent jury assessed the poems of students from the first group as more creative and vivid.
It is not in vain that writers talk about the fear of a blank slate – the lack of introductory words can really demotivate. So it’s always good to know the beginning and end of, for example, articles, books or presentations, and just connect them with dots. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting lost in the boundless territory.
