To Be More Creative, Carve Out Your Breaks

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1:02Imagine you're assigned two creative tasks at the same time that both require creative thinking. Would your approach to be work on one until it's complete and then proceed to the other? Or would you be more inclined to work on the first until you get bored and then move to the second? Research indicates that there is a third way that is more effective. If you have two creative tasks to complete, switching between them at regular, planned intervals will yield the most fresh and creative ideas. Investigators found that switching at your own volition may not generate the best outcomes because when addressing problems that require creativity, we often reach a dead end without realizing it.

1:43We can find ourselves circling around the same ineffective ideas while not recognizing when it's time to move on. In contrast, regularly switching back and forth between two tasks allows you to reset your thinking and look at each task from fresh angles. Research shows that participants who were instructed to continually switch back and forth between two problems at a fixed interval were more likely to find the correct answer to both problems than participants who switched at their own discretion. Additional studies found that participants who were instructed to switch back and forth between two creative tasks generated the most novel ideas.

2:21In contrast, participants who didn't step away from a task at regular intervals were more likely to offer ideas that were very similar to those already proposed. They failed to recognize when rigid thinking crept in. While they might have felt that they were on a roll, the reality was that without the breaks afforded by continual task switching, their actual progress was limited. Similarly, other studies have found that brief breaks during creative tasks can increase the variety of ideas generated. So when working on tasks that would benefit from creative thinking, consciously insert breaks to refresh your approach.

2:58Set them at regular intervals. If you're hesitant to break away because you feel that you're on a roll, be mindful that it might be a false impression. Finally, don't feel guilty about taking breaks and switching tasks, especially when you're feeling stuck. Doing so may be the best use of your time.