1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: tip is to let your mind wander. When you give 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,760 Speaker 1: yourself the space to daydream, you may boost your creativity, 5 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: increasing the chances that you come up with lots of 6 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: great ideas. And who doesn't need more great ideas these days. 7 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 1: This week, we've been talking about ways to nurture our brains. 8 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: If we want to take our days from great to awesome, 9 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: being on top of our mental games can help a lot. 10 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: Our brains are the most important productivity tools we have 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: now and in the future too, so we want to 12 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: keep these tools as sharp as possible. One of the 13 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: best things sharp brains can do is come up with 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: new ideas. Since many of us do need to come 15 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: up with lots of ideas, it's important to pay attention 16 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: to how this process happens. I don't know about you, 17 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: but I come up with a lot of great ideas 18 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 1: when I am out running. I don't listen to music, 19 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: so my mind can just wander as I'm running through 20 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: my neighborhood or the trails near my house. I think 21 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: it's the lack of inputs directing my conscious attention. I 22 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: often wind up piecing together different strands of things and 23 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: coming up with solutions. Some research has found that many 24 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: of us experience the same thing. One study that tested 25 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: people's ability to come up with novel uses for everyday 26 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: items found that when people were given an undemanding task, 27 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: that is, one that allowed their minds to wander, they 28 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: improved their performance on this creativity test. Indeed, they improved 29 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: more than they did if given a demanding task that 30 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: didn't allow their minds to wander, or if they were 31 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: just allowed to rest and do nothing. It seems our 32 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: brains do our best divergent thinking when we are just 33 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: a tiny bit occupied enough to take the edge off, 34 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: but not so occupied that we can't think about anything else. 35 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: Let your mind wander, and it wanders to intriguing places. 36 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: This seems straightforward enough, and yet many of us don't 37 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: spend a whole lot of time in this mind wandering state. Why. 38 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 1: I think it's because we can't stand boredom. You sit 39 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: in a chair at home meaning to stare out the 40 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 1: window at the birds, and next thing you know, the 41 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: phone is out and you are checking email. We listen 42 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: to music or yes, podcasts while running or walking or driving. 43 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 1: And while this isn't a bad thing, I'm glad you're 44 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: listening to before breakfast. When we fill all our time 45 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: this way, we don't have base for our minds to 46 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: wander to intriguing places. So the solution is to come 47 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: up with situations where you aren't really bored, you are 48 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: just in a mind wandering state. This is why running 49 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: outside is better than running on the treadmill. The treadmill 50 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:22,079 Speaker 1: is boring, so you need a TV show to get 51 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: through it. Running on a trail through the woods, on 52 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: the other hand, is interesting enough that the miles pass 53 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: without the need for any inputs, so you can let 54 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: your mind wander. I had one of my best ideas 55 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: of recent years while jumping waves in the ocean. I 56 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: couldn't exactly take my phone with me there, but I 57 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: was engaged with the task of keeping the waves from 58 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: crashing over my head. That turned out to be a 59 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: perfect setup for capturing what had been elusive before. I've 60 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: been experiencing a similar feeling recently as I have been 61 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: playing Christmas carols on the piano. Now, learning a new 62 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: piece of music would engage huge chunks of my brain, 63 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: but something like Joy to the World, which I've played 64 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: a hundred times, not so much. My mind wanders. It's 65 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: interesting to see where it wanders too. I haven't come 66 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: up with any great new business ideas yet, but maybe someday. 67 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: It's just a matter of time. So today, try coming 68 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: up with a situation where you can let your mind wander. 69 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 1: Go for a walk outside without music. Try something like 70 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: a jigsaw puzzle or gardening that takes a little effort, 71 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 1: but not a huge amount of effort. Don't pick up 72 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: your phone. You might be surprised what comes to you 73 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: in this state, so be sure to keep a pen 74 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: and paper handy. The good ideas may start to flow. 75 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: You've got your brain working well and that is a 76 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: good thing. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, 77 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 78 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 79 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 80 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod 81 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: that's b E the number four then Breakfast p o D. 82 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 83 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:39,040 Speaker 1: Podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that Before breakfast is spelled 84 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: out with all the letters thanks so much. Should I 85 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch Before Breakfast is a 86 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the 87 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 88 00:05:58,200 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: favorite shows.