You Don’t Need Time to Find New Ideas. You Need Room.
The not-so-intuitive way to get more done
I get my best ideas while I’m running. It happens almost like clockwork around mile two. I’m listening to a podcast, someone says something (either related or unrelated to me), and a light goes off.
Bing!
It’s uncanny. A fantastic idea almost always surfaces when I’m not paying attention. It can be a new collaboration with a company, an idea for an innovative article, or a great new way to market a product. Or, a few days ago, it was a way to get my kid not to kick and scream when I sit him down to work on his reading skills.
Why does it always happen when I’m running? Well, because I’m not trying to think. I’m just doing it.
Freeing up brain space
Running, for me, is a shortcut to a meditative state. The repetitive movement lulls my brain out of the day’s spastic spiral and the endorphins pop off my creative side. Running puts me into an actively creative flow state. My brain spits out ideas and solutions to complex problems, but because the act of running is just enough distraction, those ideas don’t go down the emotional toilet spiral.
One of my favorite quotes comes from David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done (a super helpful book for those looking to improve their productivity) is:
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