Use Distractions While Brainstorming
Distractions are n’t ideal for most tasks , but they do serve a purpose when it comes to brainstorming. 99U offers a simple rule of thumb: Don’t get distracted when it comes to generating ideas; focus when it comes to realizing ideas.
In a recent study published in the journal Neuropsychologia , researchers instructed participants to complete tasks designed to distract their focused attention. They found that the more creative subjects reported on the questionnaire, the more distracted they became. Here’s what the research results came to:
… that high creative achievement was associated with faster responses to congruent stimuli than to incompatible stimuli, suggesting that actual creative achievement was indeed associated with distracted attention, while standard laboratory tests of divergent thinking were not.
This is one study, some of which are being reported by humans themselves, and the argument about correlation and causation can be made here, but this is really nothing new. Earlier, we explained how distractions can help you think outside the box . As Scientific American magazine writes:
Comprehension problems include thinking outside the box. This is where “distraction” can come in handy. During off-peak times, we are less focused and can view a wider range of information. This wider range gives us access to more alternatives and diverse interpretations, thereby stimulating innovation and understanding.
Again, when you need to focus, the distraction can work against you. The balance, as 99U suggests, is simple: let your mind wander when you need to come up with ideas, and suppress distractions when it’s time to pursue those ideas.
So how can you let your mind wander? Take breaks. To read a book. Watch a video. Talk to a friend. When I think about ideas to write about and I get stuck, I call my mom. I get lost in conversation, my brain gets distracted from work, and I inevitably come up with a few ideas. However, most likely you have a pretty good idea of what distracts you. For more on how to use them to your advantage, read the full 99U post below.