The 10-Minute Rule: Your New Best Friend

Ever found yourself staring at your computer screen, desperately trying to solve a tough problem? You’re not alone! If you were Steve Jobs, the answer would be simple: take a walk.

Jobs understood something powerful about creativity that many of us overlook. His biographer, Walter Isaacson, revealed that “taking a long walk was his preferred way to have a serious conversation.” For Jobs, it wasn’t just about fresh air—it was about sparking those lightbulb moments!

Mithu Storoni, a neuroscientist from the University of Cambridge and author of Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work, recommends adopting what she calls the 10-minute rule. Here’s the scoop: if you’re stuck on a problem for more than 10 minutes, it’s time to hit pause and get moving! Why? Because our brains don’t operate like muscles, pushing through often leads to frustration instead of fresh ideas.

When you step away from your desk, you allow your mind to shift gears. Walking helps you engage with your surroundings, keeping you alert while preventing you from obsessing over a single thought.

As Storoni puts it, “You can’t ruminate because your attention can’t stick to one problem for too long.” Instead, your mind is free to explore new connections and possibilities.

And guess what? You’re in good company! Brilliant thinkers like Charles Darwin and Mark Zuckerberg have also praised the power of walking to boost creativity. It’s a timeless strategy that can lead to breakthrough ideas when you need them most.

So, the next time you find yourself wrestling with a problem, remember Steve Jobs’ approach: stand up, take a breath, and go for a walk. You might just stumble upon the solution you’ve been searching for—waiting just around the corner!

?? Steve Jobs Swore the 10-Minute Rule Made Him Smarter. Modern Neuroscience Is Discovering He Was Right (inc.com)