Creativity is more than just having a calm and focused mind. Physical exercise is just as important and offers many beneficial effects on your ability to think creatively.
Let’s discover why!
Exercise and the Brain
Research carried out by the University of Columbia found that aerobic exercise increased the size of the hippocampus: the part of the brain responsible for memory, learning and – by extension – imagination and creativity.
"The hippocampus has been more recently implicated in creativity and imagination. Because what imagination is, is taking those things you have in your memory and putting them together in a new way.’"- Dr. Wendy Suzuki, NYU neuroscientist
Your heart rate increases as you exercise, leading to increased blood flow to the brain and, in turn, the release of several hormones, including:
Endorphins - these are the body’s natural painkiller. They block pain to produce feelings of pleasure.
Serotonin - natural mood booster known as the happy hormone.
These hormones affect the way you feel, think, and behave. Because of the effect they have on your body, they are known as the happy hormones.
How does all this help my creativity?
Exercise for at least one hour a day to benefit from:
More energy to carry out creative tasks.
Increased attention span.
Improved sleep, which in turn helps you focus.
Better mental abilities.
A creativity spark.
Establish a Routine
To maximize the benefits exercise, keep the following three things keep in mind:
Make It a Habit
People who exercise regularly do better in creativity tests than their less active peers. According to a study by Stanford University, walking outside effectively opened up the free flow of ideas.
"When I’m in writing mode for a novel, I get up at 4 a.m. and work for five to six hours. In the afternoon, I run for ten kilometers or swim for fifteen hundred meters (or do both), then I read a bit and listen to some music. I go to bed at 9 p.m. I keep to this routine every day without variation. The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism… I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind." - Haruki Murakami
What’s the best time to exercise?
The simple answer is: whenever suits you!
Although some research has found that the creative brain works best in the morning, this isn’t the case for everyone—experiment by exercising at different times to find what works for you.
Get Outside
Exercising outdoors is another good suggestion. It offers added benefits as it encourages serotonin release, one of your happy hormones, and boosts your spirit.
"Sit as little as possible. Do not believe any idea that was not born in the open air and of free movement." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Exercise Your Mind
Author Julia Cameron recommends clearing your mind first thing every day through Morning Pages. It involves writing three pages in longhand as soon as you wake up. It’s a way to clear the conscious, unconscious, and subconscious mind every day to make way for creativity. “There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages,” she says. “They are not high art. They are not even ‘writing.’ They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize, and synchronize the day at hand.”
Try These Physical Activities
While most physical exercise will benefit you, science has identified the benefits of the following to your creativity:
Go for a Walk
As you’ve already seen, one of the simplest forms of exercise, walking, has been shown to improve your ability to come up with ideas (divergent thinking) as well as find specific solutions to a problem (convergent thinking). And for those exercising three or more times a week, your ability to think convergently is heightened even further.
Start a Running Program
High-intensity exercise such as running stimulates the production of a protein known as brain- derived neurotrophic factor (or BDNF). It boosts both your memory and capacity to learn and encourages new brain cells in the hippocampus. BDNF also helps you focus and become more productive - all of which aid creativity.
"I get most of my ideas when I go running. There’s something about the repetitive movement combined with the fresh air that frees my mind." - Sarah, data analyst
"About a year ago, I stopped listening to music when I went running. There’s just something about it that makes the ideas bubble up. Now, I get my most interesting ideas while I’m out running." - Mahmoud, CTO
Develop a Yoga Practice
Yoga is both a physical exercise and a form of mindfulness. A third vital part of the practice, however, is working with your breath. Long deep breathing has been shown to increase the Alpha waves in your brain, directly associated with higher levels of creativity and lower levels of stress.
Try a New Activity
Knit, paint, learn a musical instrument, or take a poetry course; whatever activity you can learn away from your everyday work will fuel your creativity. Learning something new will open your mind to new possibilities, encourage you to problem-solve in more interesting ways, and help you approach tasks from different perspectives.
"I like to learn what I call useless but interesting things. By this I mean I’m keen to try something new but not because it’s going to further my career. For example I took up woodwork because it interests me, not because I want to be a craftsman. For me, it’s more about being exposed to other ways of creating." Mahmoud, CTO
Complete Your Creativity Journal
Do: Try experimenting with different forms of physical exercise. Do each for a few days, before switching to another. Exercise in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening.
Reflect: In your journal, note how you feel physically and mentally before and after each form of exercise. What time of day worked for you? Why? How did you feel physically? Which areas felt tense or relaxed? How did it change from day-to-day? How did you feel mentally? What impact does this have on your work? On your thinking at work? On your creativity?
Let’s Recap!
Aerobic activity increases the size of the hippocampus – the part of the brain responsible for creativity.
Regular exercise improves both divergent and convergent thinking.
Learning something new can help you problem-solve in more interesting ways.
Now you’ve explored how physical exercise can feed into your creativity, you’re ready to start discovering techniques to help you generate new ideas.
