#ThinkfullyHabit: Get a leg up
If you’ve got a problem and you need some new ideas, then taking a walk while holding the problem in mind and then sitting down immediately afterwards and continuing to work the problem can really help.
“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking. ”
WHY?
A study by Stanford University found that walking, on average, boosts your ability to generate novel ideas by a colossal 60%. The positive effect continues even once you’ve stopped walking and sat down.
It’s particularly helpful when you require new ideas. As one of the researchers of the study, Marily Oppezzo, clarifies, “This isn’t to say that every task at work should be done while simultaneously walking, but those that require a fresh perspective or new ideas would benefit from it. If you’re looking for a single correct answer to a question, you probably don’t want all of these different ideas bubbling up.” It suggests that we can use walks quite tactically; for instance, taking a walk immediately before a brainstorming session or whenever we need to generate fresh ideas.
Interestingly, walking also has a strong effect on your ability to produce high quality analogies, which are particularly important for making valuable connections and communicating ideas. When they asked people to think of analogies, 95% of those who walked generated at least one novel high-quality analogy compared with just 50% of those who didn’t move.
So next time you’re going for a walk:
- Intentionally think about a problem you want to get some new ideas on.
- Stick to a comfortable pace (walking too fast can distract your attention).
- Record ideas as you go (voice notes may be easiest).
- After walking, sit down and carry on with the problem for a little while longer, as the boosting benefits will continue.
It’s not just the change of environment that accounts for the impact because the researchers found similar effects even when walking indoors on a treadmill. It means that just taking a walk in or around the building or office can help put your best foot forward and give you a leg up.
REFERENCES:
Oppezzo, M, April 2017, ‘Want to be more creative? Go for a walk.’, TEDxStanford
Oppezzo, M. and Schwartz, D. L. (2014), Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, American Psychological Association 2014, Vol. 40, Issue 4, Pages 1142–1152