Need a creative solution? Taking a walk before brainstorming can improve performance:
In a 2021 study by researchers at Stanford University, people were asked to come up with a variety of uses for everyday objects.
Some did this task while walking and others while sitting.
The results were surprising:
Walking increased people’s ability to come up with creative uses for the objects by up to 60%, compared with those who sat to do the same task.
Furthermore:
People who walked first and then sat down to perform the task benefitted from a short time of increased creativity too – showing that the positive effect of their walk ‘spilled over’ into their sitting time.
So next time you need to come up with a great idea or ‘think out of the box’, try heading out for a walk.
Give your ideas some legs!
