2019 - 10 - 03 - Boosting Creativity By Leveraging Incubation Time

Out of all of the different pillars of creativity, incubation times the one I struggle with the most. So what exactly is incubation time? incubation time is the time you set aside to allow your unconscious mind space to work on the problem at hand. This is the time when creatives need to take a step back walk away from that project and let go. it's a simple concept, but one that requires a reminder. Going for a walk and giving yourself time to breathe, to think, to let go, and to rest is indeed part of the creative process. Most people have heard the story of Archimedes, or have at least heard the word EUREKA! “I have found it!” The story of eureka is a story of incubation time. In the story Archimedes yells out “EUREKA” as he was getting into the bath and finally understood the mathematical concept of displacement. The important part here is that the sudden realization came when he was getting into the bath, not working in his studio, workshop, or office. There are times we need to step away and let our ideas steep like a cup of tea. There are many ways we can do this, the classic warm bath in the style of Archimedes, a walk in the style of Henry David Thoreau, or whatever you need to power down and give your ideas and problem and chance to settle into your unconscious and to let that unconscious mind do what it needs to do. The unconscious works in different ways and you may find that sudden rush of insight comes at unexpected times. Keep a notebook or your cell phone handy, but remember this is a time to unplug so don’t forget to put that cell phone in “airplane mode” so you are not disturbed.