Getting the creative juices flowing
In this blog I have so far focused on the use of the 40 Principles as a systematic method of inspiring inventive problem solutions. There are many, including Marily Oppezzo, is a postdoctoral research fellow in cardiovascular disease at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has examined the issue from another perspective: how can the individual maximize their ability to come up with ideas?
But don’t chew gum
In her TED Talk, Oppezzo outlines the evidence she found that just walking on a treadmill increased the rate at which experiment participants came up with novel and appropriate ideas – whether they first walked then thought, or thought while walking.
One can speculate on why this is. It might involve increased cardiovascular activity. But it is nice to see the evidence that it really works so clearly presented.
In her paper on the subject, Oppezzo and her colleague Daniel L. Schwartz found
“Walking had a large effect on creativity. Most of the participants benefited from walking compared with sitting, and the average increase in creative output was around 60%.”
I think I will go for a walk to plan my next post!
