“The greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less.”
-Leonardo DiVinci
Creativity Crisis
Hip-hip-hooray! Statistics from the International Labor Organization consistently indicate that workers in the United States put in more hours than anyone else in the industrialized world. We’re the tops! Unfortunately, it’s also become apparent that “the most hours” doesn’t seem to be translating to “the most productive.” And, adding insult to injury, there are low rumblings coming out of academia about the potential economic impact of a “looming creativity crisis” in America. Increased hours, decreased creativity…. What are we missing?
Makes you ponder: when is the last time you struck genius while sitting in front of your computer responding to emails?
Jumping In and Out of the Playpen
We are a nation founded upon hard work and bright ideas. We seem to have the “hard work” part down pat, but maybe we’re losing touch on how to harness those “bright ideas.” In striving for the most efficient, time-maximized day, complete with laudable business success and leveraged social and networking interactions, many of us have bought into the belief that the harder you work, the more you will get noticed and success is certain to follow. But is “nose to the grindstone” really the pathway to success?
A strong work ethic is commendable, but it is the inspiration of innovation combined with that work ethic that is the stuff of genius. Looking to knock the socks off your next prospective client? It is the creativity that will get you there. Downtime is where ideas grow and dreams are fostered. Want to come up with the next best idea on the market? Get out of the office and get some play time in. The most successful business leaders effectively and regularly put “thinking aside” and let ideas percolate with play.
Harnessing the Creative Process
So, where do those bright ideas come from? They are born of the active and effective use of both the left (analytical) and right (creative) hemispheres of the brain. There are five widely recognized stages to the creative process:
1) First Insight (the light bulb of an idea)
2) Saturation (the methodical gathering of information)
3) Incubation (letting the idea grow)
4) Illumination (the breakthrough—how it all comes together)
5) Verification (analyzing and translating the idea from creative to actionable)
Of these five stages of creativity, only “saturation” and “verification” are sit-at-your-desk-and-analyze left-brain tasks. The other three stages—from your first inspiration, to allowing your idea to percolate, to the final breakthrough of how to make it happen—all take place when you put your thinking aside and just let the right-side of your brain have a hay day.
Think about it. What was the last great idea you had? Where were you when it struck? In the shower? On a run? Planting peas in the garden?
Enough thinking about it, Einstein, it’s time to get up and play!
