Scientists talked about how videos with cats will help in solving complex problems. We all strive to make the most of our time. But psychologists and neuroscientists advise the opposite. Sometimes you have to waste time. This will boost your creativity.
To such conclusions came a psychologist from the University of California, Jonathan Schooler (Jonathan Schooler). Simple external tasks, during which the brain is distracted, stimulate creativity, he said.
Skoler and his colleagues conducted such an experiment where participants first figured out how to use everyday objects originally, and then they took a basic test. After that, they were divided into four groups. One group immediately went back to quests for unusual item use. The second was given a difficult task as a memory, the third was given an easy task during which you can distract yourself, and the fourth was allowed to rest. The best results were in the third group.
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“What surprised us the most was that an easy task was more useful than doing nothing,” says Spoiler. “I think the whole point is that during it, the brain does not focus on one thing.”
Thoughts quickly replace each other, associations arise. This leads to creative ideas.
Dutch researchers came to similar conclusions. According to them, it is easier for us to make a difficult decision if, before that, we were briefly distracted. During the experiment, the participants were given a list of cars with all the pros and cons. Based on it, it was necessary to assess the quality of the machines. Some participants were given time to think; others were given an unrelated task. As a result, the second group evaluated the cars more sensibly.
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Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh confirmed these findings. They monitored participants’ brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging. It turned out that decision-making processes take place at the moments when we think subconsciously. The areas responsible for subconscious thinking continue to process the information received, even when we are distracted. Simply put, we can watch cat videos and ponder math problems.
Get distracted by something that has nothing to do with your problem. If you are solving a math problem, play sports, rather than solving puzzles.
It’s also helpful to distract yourself with inspirational pictures. Only they shouldn’t be related to your life. Therefore, you should not log into the social network during a break. Seeing someone’s vacation photos will only make you upset.
If you want to distract yourself usefully, don’t look at pictures of your friends’ kids on Facebook. Better to be amazed by unfamiliar children on YouTube.
Adapted and translated by Wiki Avenue Staff
Sources: Life hacker
