Some of our best ideas happen in the shower but why is that?  Because we don’t have our phones distracting us.  We are free to solve problems and conjure up just about anything while we are soaping up.

Jonathan Schooler, one of the pioneers in the scientific study of mind-wandering, consciousness, and creativity has found that periods of undirected thought often foster creative insight because the brain can make connections that focused attention may miss.

If you’re doing nothing at all, you’re more likely to reach for your phone. If you’re doing something mentally demanding, there’s no room for creative wandering. The shower sits in the sweet spot.

The shower creates the conditions for better ideas. It temporarily disconnects us from the constant stream of digital interruptions, gives our brains a moderately engaging routine, activates the default mode network, and allows unrelated memories and concepts to collide in novel ways. That’s why so many breakthrough ideas seem to arrive while we’re shampooing instead of scrolling.

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” — that gem comes from Blaise Pascal all the way back in 1670 (apparently distraction has long been a problem before smartphones).

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