Creative Thinking

Creative Thinking can be accidental or deliberate. It is the process which we use when we come up with a new idea or the merging of ideas which have not been merged before.  I often have some of my best thinking while driving the car in complete solitude or during one of my afternoon naps.

Afternoon Naps is not just for kids or Grandpa's

When looking for creative answers to problems or new ideas, let your subconscious mind go to work for you while you sleep.  During his day, Thomas Edison would take time out by himself and relax in a chair or on a sofa. Invariably he would be working on a new invention and seeking creative solutions to the problem he was dealing with. He knew that if he could get into that "twilight state" between being awake and being asleep, he could access the pure creative genius of his subconscious mind.
To prevent himself from crossing all the way over the "genius gap" into deep sleep, he would nap with his hand propped up on his elbow while he clutched a handful of ball-bearings. Then he would just drift off to sleep, knowing that his subconscious mind would take up the challenge of his problem and provide a solution. As soon as he went into too deep a sleep, his hand would drop and the ball-bearings would spill noisily on the floor, waking him up again. He'd then write down whatever was in his mind.

So Edison used power napping to catch up on much-needed rest and to give his phenomenal brain a break from conscious effort, allowing his unconscious processes to do the genius thinking for him.  Power napping can recharge your brain and give you a real mental, emotional and physical lift, so that you can perform at your peak again.

Find a way to write down every idea you have, no matter how terrible. Don’t get caught up on whether or not your idea is good yet. What’s important is you make it a habit to record ideas when they happen.  There are plenty of tools available such as voice recording feature on your phone to an idea journal on your tablet or laptop.

Just remember great ideas are born from your daily experiences, not while sitting in front of a computer or watching television.  So get outside, engage in conversations, take a walk and get inspired.