Why you get your best ideas under the shower

I often say that creativity is simply solving problems. In this series, I'll be exploring ways to enhance our problem solving skills. When we're able to manage our time and energy better, there'll more to use in other parts of our lives. Helping us to feel a greater connection to life — all of it.

Picture this. You're in the shower, feeling the stream of hot water and watching the bathroom fog up. You close your eyes. And while you're massaging your scalp with shampoo — thinking about the amazing breakfast you're about to make for yourself — it suddenly hits you. Bam, there it is. The solution to that impossible problem you've spent the entire week wrecking your brain over.

Did you say under the shower?

I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, as I'm sure you've experienced this at some point. Maybe instead of in the shower you were walking your dog, cycling across town, or it hit you right before falling asleep. But the idea is the same: Inspiration strikes when you least expect it, and you can't control when it happens.

Wrong. Maybe you can't control when it happens, but you can help the process along. Because it's not random. And the beauty is, once you understand the creative process better, you can start understanding how you can optimise it to make it work for you.

Tell me about this process already!

I should note that the mind is still a marvellous wonder to us in many ways, and this is definitely not the only way to work with our creativity. But there are some things we do know, and can use to our advantage. This is one of those ways, and the one I've chosen to write about today.

In the 1920s, British psychologist Graham Wallis outlined a four-stage model of the creative process in this book The Art of Thought. I've got to be honest here, I haven't read it. I have, however, read about its premise when I was in Art School. And while putting its theory into action, I actually came up with one of my best projects there — right before falling asleep.

"If I had an hour to save the world, I'd spend 55 minutes defining the problem, and 5 minutes coming up with the solution."

Stage 1: Preparation

Starting a new project — or facing a new problem to solve, usually starts with a certain preparation. You gather information, inspiration, details about the problem; an understanding about the topic. As much as it is an external process while you're going out into the world to gather the data, resources, or insights that you need, it is internal too. Because while you're gathering all of this, you're thinking about and engaging with all of it; helping your mind to start processing this new information.

Stage 2: Incubation

This newly acquired information needs time to settle. While you're allowing it to marinate and deepen into the mind, new connections are formed. Because while the conscious mind stays actively engaged, you're allowing the information to wander off into the unconscious mind. Doing so allows the unconscious to take diverse concepts and ideas, and finding new ways to connect them; something Einstein called combinatory play.

In other words: You need to allow the mind to rest.

Stage 3: Illumination

This is the elusive Eureka!-moment. That moment in the shower, or right before falling asleep, where you suddenly "have it." After having muddled it over, having deepened, and having formed new connections, the unconscious part of the mind throws its insights back to the conscious awareness. Why now? Because the conscious mind is at rest. It's open to receive. And so, seemingly out of nowhere, the solution presents itself.

Stage 4: Verification

Finally, your idea makes its transition from your head to the outside world. You refine, visualise, write out, or calculate your solution. In short: your idea materialises. And once it's out there, the process of creation begins. In whichever shape: Whether it's visual or a new model in Excel; whether you're saving your client a lot of money, or making your app-element respond to both scroll and click. Your solution has created something new.

Taking time to rest is productive

While it might feel counterproductive to rest, we are actually being productive. Because while letting the conscious mind rest, we're putting the unconscious mind to work. And in doing so, we're being productive. We're just not as aware of it as it's — kind of an open door, I know — unconscious.

So what does this mean for the way we work? Well, I think it's safe to say that sitting behind a screen for 40 hours (or more) doesn't necessarily lead to more productivity. At least not when you're working in a problem solving capacity. But also when your job is mostly focused on execution, I'm convinced that taking time to rest will allow you to take a step back and in doing so to gain some perspective. Which might allow you to come up with a system, or a way of working, that will make it work better for you.

How to turn theory into practice

You might be thinking that this is a very nice theory and that it might work for others, but not for you. Because your work is different/you are expected to work those 40 hours/your company is just structured differently/fill in your reason. And I get it, letting your unconscious take over feels like you're not really in control of the process.

But let me give you another example. Have you ever woken up 2 minutes before your alarm would go off because you had that very important meeting? Or before having to catch your plane? Well, that's your unconscious mind at work, too. When you start trusting your unconscious more, you'll realise that you don't actually need to be in control all the time. (Or dare I say: You'll realise that there's no such thing as being in control?)

It's a process, and really it's like learning any new skill. At first, it feels a bit uncertain and uncomfortable. But once you start doing it more often, you'll grow more confident in it. And before you know it, you'll be using it to your own advantage. Inspiration will strike when you're taking a shower, walking your dog, or right before falling asleep. Maybe you won't control it, but it won't be unexpected anymore either.

Have you ever experienced a Eureka!-moment like this? How did that happen for you?

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As we've all been working from home so much more, it's becoming more and more important that we learn how to regulate our energy levels. More than ever we need to find a way of working that gives us energy.

Maithe believes in a new normal that includes different ways of working for different people, a healthy work-life balance, and still being productive. She's the Designing Founder of The Guru Agency, with a background in Chinese philosophy and Yoga science.