When is the best time for ideas

Today ideas follow one after another, the text turns out to be interesting, you don't even need to correct anything, and tomorrow you won't even force yourself to sit down to work. Are you familiar with such torments of the author? If yes, then this post is for you. It would be great to know if there is an ideal time for writing, new ideas and plans, but is there such a time? There is no definite answer to this question, but there are several theories supported by scientific research.

We know that it is advisable to have breakfast no later than 8 a.m., to train between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., and read Twitter from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. (in the morning, a charge of optimism remains). But if it's better to eat breakfast and exercise at a certain time, then there is a better time to create your own piece? This is more difficult, but you can still find the answer.

It is better to write early in the morning.

Now you can say: “Nothing of the kind! My inspiration opens late at night. There is still controversy on this score, since we know little about the relationship between body rhythms and the process of writing. But we can make several assumptions based on scientific research data.

Willpower is a resource that ends

Many studies prove that we have a certain amount of willpower, and when it runs out, there is simply nowhere to take it (until the next day, of course).

Scientists conducted a test: the participants were divided into two groups and given the task - to twist the handle as long as they can. But the first group of participants had previously performed another difficult speed task. They needed to name the color of the letters, regardless of their name, like in the picture below.

As a result, the group that first performed the grueling flower test turned the pen much less time than the group that immediately began the task. A number of similar tests were carried out and the results were always the same: after difficult tasks, people run out of willpower, and they can no longer perform the following tasks as well.

How can willpower be applied to an author's creativity and work? When you don't have the inspiration to start writing something, come up with a new idea, or write more, you need to force yourself. It turns out that in the morning, when your willpower has not yet been used up, you can force yourself to write, but in the evening - not a fact.

Creativity is an early bird

Creative ideas come better in the morning because the prefrontal cortex is more active during this time

Research into the brain has shown that the highest level of creative activity is observed immediately after waking up, and the analytical part of the brain (involved in adjusting the already prepared material, assessing it) "wakes up" later, during the day.

During the study, scientists performed an MRI scan of the brain at different times of the day and got the following picture: In the morning, more neural connections appear in the brain, and this is the key to the productivity of the creative process.

Willpower and creative flight of thought - it seems that this is enough to call morning the best time of day for creativity, but this cannot be recognized as an absolute truth.

Try to create when you are tired

If morning splashes of creativity are not your forte, maybe you will enjoy the exploration of Mareike Wies and Rosa Sachs. This study found that creative ideas often come at the most unproductive times.

The experiment measured the ability to understand and analyze - two invariable components of the creative process. Participants in the study described themselves as "larks" or "owls", after which they were subjected to several tests at different times of the day.

Analytical tests did not show any significant results, but the comprehension tasks created an interesting picture.

Larks performed better on discernment and deep understanding tasks in the evenings when they were not at their most productive.

The same was true for the owls, which performed well on comprehension tasks in the morning when they were not sufficiently focused.

On the basis of these results, the researchers built their theory: when a person works at a time of day that is not the best for him (larks - in the evening, owls - in the morning), his mind seems to be in a "tired" state, and thinking expands.

We see more opportunities, we can think without cliches and make decisions without prejudice. And at optimal times for work, our thinking is faster and clearer, which can limit our creativity.

The importance of schedule and habits

If morning creative sessions seem like crazy to you, don't be discouraged. You are not alone. Larks and owls have very different ideas about the ideal time of day to work, and the ideal time to be creative, too. These differences have always been noticeable.

Take two famous writers: Charles Dickens and Robert Frost. Charles Dickens was a morning person - he finished writing at 2 pm every day. Robert Frost, on the other hand, only started writing around 2 pm, and often wrote late into the night (and got up the next day for lunch).

Despite such differences in the time of writing, these authors are still similar - in observing their own regime. Every day they sat down to write at the same time, without breaking their own rhythms.

Perhaps, the best time to write your own works and develop worthwhile ideas is the same time every day.

Habits and daily activities can matter more than the time of day.

Regular daily activity strengthens certain neural connections in the brain, and the more you follow a habit, the stronger they become.

Author Amy Brann describes exactly how brain activity increases:

Neurons are automatically involved in electrochemical processes. This means, the more often you “light up” a new connection of neurons, the stronger it becomes. The brain makes no distinction between thinking about the real and the imaginary when it creates new neural connections. So, by mentally experiencing a new, desired type of behavior, you will strengthen the neural circuitry of this behavior, even if you did not actually do it, but just thought about it.

That way, if you train yourself to write or create ideas at the same time, you can just do it every day, and you don't need to strain your willpower to tackle the next chapter. In other words, the habit will provide you with valuable ideas, inspiration, and a "on schedule" attitude.

What time do you choose? When do you get the best ideas?