Holly CumminsTIL there's a technical name for why ideas happen in the shower: the "default mode network" is a pattern of brain activity, measurable using fMRI, that happens when we're unfocussed. When the brain goes into idle mode (reduced activity), this part of the brain actually becomes *more* active. What does the default mode network do? Research is ongoing, but part of it definitely seems to be making connections, which is associated with curiosity and creativity.
I had an idea once that - in opposition to what Shopify are doing, by reducing meetings - organisations should have *more* meetings. The more terrible, tedious, and dull, the better.
Why? In bad meetings, our mind wanders, and we become creative. Meetings - if they're bad enough - are a bit like the shower of the modern workplace.
(Well, except that showers make you happy and clean, and bad meetings make you irritated and grubby. And stupid, because of carbon dioxide levels.)
Rob de Voer@holly_cummins Bad meetings even prevent creative moments. We don't need to be abused to get creative.
A meeting with like minded people that is aimed at brainstorming or even freewheeling, oh yeah.
@robdevoer I agree an ordinarily-bad meeting prevents creativity. A *truly* terrible meeting, the kind where no one in the room is paying attention to an endless series of status reports and everyone's mind is wandering, frees up participants to think about other things. :)
Pamela Ehn@holly_cummins @robdevoer nope. Meetings kill creativity, no matter how boring. I need to be AWAY from people to be creative. In fact, the demand on us to be constantly working is why we keep hitting our heads against the brick wall as a society instead of actually solving our problems.