Making It Alone: 5 Ways Solitude Can Spark Creativity

"Psychologists Christopher Long and James Averill once described the longstanding connection between solitude and creativity as "so ubiquitous that it has become almost a cliché: the scientist alone in a laboratory, the writer in a cabin in the woods, or the painter in a bare studio". But how does solitude bolster imagination, unlock ingenuity, and foster inspiration? According to psychological research, here are five ways that solitude really can spark creativity."

"The most common locations where people have sudden insights ("aha!" moments) include in the shower, during transport, and while exercising. Although you may not always engage in these activities alone, these experiences all typically offer a break from the constant information stream we are exposed to when socially engaging with others. Solitude offers a respite from this input and lets our mind start to wander."

"A meandering mind can be a gateway to creativity. But sometimes our thoughts can wander off to bad places - and ruminating (repeatedly thinking negative thoughts) can make us feel sad and anxious. To help with this, try to look forward instead of looking back. Florence Ruby and colleagues found that mind wandering about the past and focused on others was more likely to put people in a worse mood."

Solitude reduces constant social input and allows the mind to wander, enabling sudden insights in places like the shower, during transport, and while exercising. Such free thinking activates the default mode network and fosters cognitive flexibility, supporting thinking outside the box. Letting ideas incubate during breaks, walks, showers, or drives can produce "aha" moments and creative solutions. A meandering mind can be a gateway to creativity, but rumination—repeated negative thinking—can increase sadness and anxiety. Daydreaming about the future and focusing on oneself tends to improve mood, whereas mind wandering about the past or focusing on others tends to worsen mood. Solitude also helps people enter flow states, and introverts are more likely to experience flow when alone.

Read at Psychology Today