When I was driving home from work the other night, I heard an interesting story on NPR’s All Things Considered (read the full story) about the lost art of boredom. Basically, since the advent of the smartphone, we, as a society, are no longer bored. We don’t have to be. You don’t have to be bored in a doctor’s office when the magazine selection is sparse. You don’t have to waste time spacing out at the grocery store in a long line. We have constant entertainment at our fingertips, literally, at all times. But, is this a bad thing—especially for creatives?
The NPR story covers a study that was conducted on groups of people and their creative thinking abilities. The group had to do a horribly boring task: read the phone book (seriously, do they even make those anymore?) and then tasked to think creatively. It turned out that when their minds were at rest with a mundane activity, they were able to really, creatively think. However, when we’re constantly stimulated with electronics and text pings and non-stop digital interaction, we’re less likely to come up with creative solutions.
As a graphic designer, I’m definitely a tech, computer geek who spends way too much time on my phone, iPad, laptop, etc. I love to learn and soak up new information, so I typically get lost down many rabbit holes throughout the day through Twitter links, Facebook feed and design blogs. While keeping up with design trends and new concepts in the industry is important, does spending so much time online hurt my creative conceptualization skills?
Even before I heard this story on NPR, I believed it was true. I’ve noticed over and over again that if I’m having a case of creative block, the best thing I can do is walk away from my screen. Usually doing something mindless like reading a magazine or doodling in my notebook triggers an idea far before endless staring at the screen will. I actually find that my very best ideas come in the shower, first thing in the morning. My mind is rested and fresh. I don’t have to think, so my mind is free to wander and that’s when the ideas happen.
I remember attending the HOW Design Conference several years ago and speaker Justin Ahrens from agency Rule 29, mentioned that he keeps a scuba diving writing board in his shower for ideas. He also got the most inspiration in the shower and kept the waterproof board as a notepad to write those ideas down.
Even when I’m trying to solve a problem, like a difficult issue in HTML with code not working, the best solution is to step away from the screen. That’s almost always the answer—it’s so simple, but, in this digital age, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to achieve.
As creatives, we need to generate fresh ideas and think outside the box. We need to sometimes get away from outside influences in order to come up with less jaded ideas. So, the next time you have a looming deadline, go and be bored for a while. Read the phone book, stare into space, or take a shower. Chances are, the brilliant idea you’ve been waiting for will come pop right into your head.
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