www.fastcompany.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
151.101.65.54
Public Scan
Submitted URL: https://mx.technolutions.net/ss/c/gsby7xed_Q9kJKoUKuDGdI8HDgENd6qkUNL-rZYv5G1EScWyWHESLdAiv6EfRQVnHmW1CYCe7M51Dx0o8-EeDg_G54o...
Effective URL: https://www.fastcompany.com/3061704/five-surprising-science-backed-ways-to-boost-your-creativity?utm_source=ENGAGE&utm_mediu...
Submission: On March 11 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Effective URL: https://www.fastcompany.com/3061704/five-surprising-science-backed-ways-to-boost-your-creativity?utm_source=ENGAGE&utm_mediu...
Submission: On March 11 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOMText Content
FAST COMPANY Follow * * * * * Login * Co.Design * Tech * Work Life * News * Impact * Podcasts * Video * Recommender * Innovation Festival 360IF360 * Subscribe * * FastCo Works * AWS * Deloitte * Genpact * HOMEPAGE * CO.DESIGN * TECH * WORK LIFE * NEWS * IMPACT * PODCASTS * VIDEO * RECOMMENDER * INNOVATION FESTIVAL 360 * SUBSCRIBE Help Center fastco works * AWS * BOSTON SCIENTIFIC * DELOITTE * DEPT * ELEVATE PRIZE * GENPACT * KLARNA * LOGITECH * SQUARE * VERIZON AWS * VISA * FASTCO WORKS An award-winning team of journalists, designers, and videographers who tell brand stories through Fast Company's distinctive lens FC Executive Board collections * FAST GOVERNMENT The future of innovation and technology in government for the greater good * MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES Our annual guide to the businesses that matter the most * MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE Leaders who are shaping the future of business in creative ways * WORLD CHANGING IDEAS New workplaces, new food sources, new medicine--even an entirely new economic system * INNOVATION BY DESIGN Celebrating the best ideas in business Newsletter Events * INNOVATION FESTIVAL Courses and LearningAdvertiseCurrent Issue Current Issue SUBSCRIBE Follow us: advertisement * 07-12-16 FIVE SURPRISING, SCIENCE-BACKED WAYS TO BOOST YOUR CREATIVITY RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT JUST STARING AT THE APPLE LOGO MAY SPUR CREATIVE THOUGHT. HERE’S WHY. [Photo: Flickr user zeevveez; App Photo: amdandy, Getty Images] * * * * More Like This It’s not just money. This is what’s still driving the Great Resignation How to love your job according to science 6 leadership types you’ll find on ‘Ted Lasso’ By Amantha Imber 4 minute Read You might not think of yourself as especially creative. And maybe–right now–you aren’t. But a growing body of scientific research suggests that anyone has the ability to become at least a little more creative than they already are, sometimes in surprising ways. Here are a few of the stranger approaches to boosting your creativity. 1. STARE AT THE APPLE LOGO Who would’ve thought that you could jumpstart creative thinking just by looking at a picture? Duke University professor Gavan Fitzsimons and a few of his colleagues recently wondered if it could. They were interested in the different effects that exposure to association-laden images might have on people’s ability to think creatively. Specifically, they sought to test whether the logos of Apple or IBM–the former famous for originality and sleek design, the latter better known by contrast (fairly or not) for providing plain beige-box computers. In one study, participants were asked to look at either the Apple or the IBM logo. They were then asked to generate as many uses as they could think of for a brick. The researchers found that individuals who were exposed to the Apple logo performed significantly better on the idea generation task than did the IBM group. Now, this is just one correlation from one study, but the researchers attributed the noticeable difference to the difference in popular associations people tend to have between the two tech companies. On balance–and rightly or wrongly–many people think of Apple as a wellspring of innovation, a company that’s different from the norm. Merely seeing the Apple logo can trigger these associations, which may lead in turn to a significant increase in creative thought. advertisement 2. PICTURE YOURSELF ON A HOT DATE When it comes time to mate, male bowerbirds spend much of their time making colorful and elaborate nests. In selecting a mate, a female bowerbird is attracted to the males that have built the most creatively decorated ones. Just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise increases our ability to solve problems creatively . . . [an] effect [that] lasts for up to two hours. A group of researchers at the University of Arizona hypothesized a similar link between mating and creativity among humans. In a series of experiments, participants were required to complete several creativity-based tasks. One group launched straight into the tasks while another was asked to imagine themselves on a hot date with a top-quality mate. Those assigned to the “hot date” group performed significantly better on the creative tasks. Interestingly, the tendency to be more creative after envisioning oneself on a date with someone physically attractive was especially pronounced in male participants. The effect was seen in the women in this group, too, just as long as they imagined a date they also found to be trustworthy and reliable. The researchers suggested that humans evolved in a way that required them to demonstrate their creativity to attract members of the opposite sex. Throughout history, creativity has been regarded as a sign of a person’s adaptability and problem-solving skills, which in turn suggest an ability to confront–and survive–some of life’s most complex challenges. 3. MOVE UP YOUR GYM TIME If you happen to be a morning exerciser, or someone who sweats it out during your lunch break, you may be on to something. David Blanchette and his colleagues at Rhode Island College found that completing just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise increases our ability to solve problems creatively–and that this effect lasts for up to two hours after we’ve finished exercising. So if you tend to work out after work, you’re probably losing out on that creative boost. If your workday can benefit from more creative thinking, you might be wise to reschedule your exercise regimen for the morning or squeeze it in midday. 4. WARM UP–WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS Just as you wouldn’t go for a run or lift weights without warming up, research suggests that you shouldn’t try creative problem-solving without first getting into the right frame of mind. So how do you do that? RELATED: * 10 Daily Routines For Honing Your Creativity * The Science Of Why Scarcity Makes Us More Creative * Four Surprising Factors That Influence Creativity * 6 How Nostalgia Fuels Creativity Research published in the Journal of Marketing Research compared people’s creative problem-solving abilities after playing with LEGOs in different ways. One group had to “kit-build” (that is, build a specific creation) and the other group was able to “free-build.” Those who had to follow instructions and solve a well-defined problem performed significantly worse on a subsequent creative task than those who free-built. Don’t just make time to warm up before digging into a tough problem–be conscious of how you warm up: Make sure the tasks that precede time spent on creative projects are unstructured (or at least less structured) and free-flowing. Whatever you do, don’t go right from Excel spreadsheets straight to brainstorming. 5. GRAB A SANDWICH Ultimately, the success of our creative thinking rests on whether it results in good decisions. And the best time to make these decisions, researchers have found, is when our stomach isn’t running on empty. Our stomachs produce the hormone ghrelin when we’re hungry, and that can lead to more impulsive decision-making. So before making your next big decision about which ideas to move forward with and which to leave behind, grab a bite to eat first. You’ll be able to think less impulsively–and, ideally, more creatively–about what to do next. Amantha Imber is the founder of Inventium, an innovation consultancy that only uses tools that have been scientifically proven to work. Her latest book, The Innovation Formula, tackles the topic of how organizations can create a culture where innovation thrives. RELATED VIDEO: WATCH T-PAIN’S SURPRISING ADVICE FOR GETTING OVER A CREATIVE BLOCK advertisement FEATURED VIDEO 1 / 7 Why our editors put the Canva CEO on the cover of the ‘Most Innovative Companies’ issue Read More 12.8K 1 Video Player is loading. Play Video Unmute Duration 3:36 / Current Time 0:04 Advanced Settings Loaded: 18.43% 0:04 Remaining Time -3:32 FullscreenPauseUp Next This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque Font Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps Reset restore all settings to the default valuesDone Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Settings Playback Speed Normal Video Quality Auto (270p) Closed Captions Off Replay the list * Powered by AnyClip * Privacy Policy TOP ARTICLES Why our editors put the Canva CEO on the cover of the ‘Most Innovative Companies’ issue advertisement Today's Top Stories: 01 magazine How the BTS ARMY turned their fandom into the future of entertainment 02 magazine This swashbuckling $3 billion company is single-handedly trying to fix the supply-chain crisis 03 magazine Stripe is paying companies to pull carbon out of the atmosphere. What’s your company doing to fight climate change? 04 magazine The 10 most innovative space companies of 2022 05 magazine How Dapper Labs is making Web3 safe for normies with help from the NBA, UFC, and La Liga More Top Stories: PLAY Fast Company Top Articles: Video Settings Full Screen About Connatix V154310 Read More Read More Read More Read More Read More Read More Managers, this is how to balance your role as a leader and your mental health READ MORE Managers, this is how to balance your role as a leader and your mental health 1/1 Skip Ad Continue watching after the ad Visit Advertiser websiteGO TO PAGE advertisement co-design The rise of Canva, the $40 billion design juggernaut ideas This startup uses an ancient microbe to turn CO2 into ingredients for food ideas Should we outlaw SUVs? co-design The 10 most innovative companies in transportation in 2022 news The second year of the pandemic messed with you more than you realize magazine The 10 most innovative media companies of 2022 co-design As Russia bombards Ukraine, it could become a battle between two supply chains magazine The 10 most innovative personal finance companies of 2022 magazine The 10 most innovative companies in sports in 2022 magazine The 10 most innovative education companies of 2022 magazine The 10 most innovative advertising agencies of 2022 entertainment Bumble Bans Alt-Right Darling Jack Posobiec In a Very Public Way magazine The 10 most innovative social media companies of 2022 magazine The 10 most innovative companies in North America in 2022 co-design The 10 most innovative companies in branding in 2022 advertisement advertisement ideas Russia is a major fertilizer exporter. Here’s how farmers can use less of it technology The Pinterest Pivot leadership I spoke to 5,000 people and these are the real reasons they’re quitting magazine The 10 most innovative energy companies in 2022 magazine How Fanatics is flipping the trading card market on its head leadership Don’t try to be happy. Focus on these 5 things instead entertainment The 10 most innovative music companies of 2022 co-design The most innovative style companies of 2022 magazine The 10 most innovative companies in data science for 2022 leadership Here are six signs that it’s time to quit your job ideas How to get past despair and take powerful action on climate change magazine The 10 most innovative companies in artificial intelligence of 2022 technology The Untold Story Behind Mark Zuckerberg’s SXSW Keynote Debacle co-design The 10 most innovative dining companies of 2022 advertisement IMPACT Impact THIS STARTUP USES AN ANCIENT MICROBE TO TURN CO2 INTO INGREDIENTS FOR FOOD Impact A LARGE NUMBER OF BIG CORPORATIONS JUST FLUNKED AN ASSESSMENT OF THEIR NET-ZERO PROGRESS Impact MEET THE 21-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT REPORTING ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE NEWS News IKEA FOUNDATION DELIVERS MILLIONS IN ‘IMMEDIATE’ AID AS REFUGEES POUR OUT OF UKRAINE News FREEDOM FRIES 2.0: PEOPLE ARE SHUNNING VODKA, BALLET PERFORMANCES, AND EVERYTHING RUSSIAN News HOW TO GET REAL UKRAINE NEWS TO RUSSIANS: THIS GROUP IS STARTING WITH PROGRAMMATIC AD TECH CO.DESIGN Co.Design IN IRELAND, OLD WIND-TURBINE BLADES ARE BEING USED TO BUILD BRIDGES Co.Design THE CLEVER WAY ONE FASHION CREATOR IS USING TIKTOK TO CHALLENGE NORMS ABOUT DISABILITY Co.Design HOW SCIENTISTS GREW SPINACH IN THE DESERT BY HARVESTING WATER OUT OF THIN AIR WORK LIFE Work Life THE OLD WAY OF INTERVIEWING FOR JOBS IS DEAD. HERE’S HOW TO PLAY BY THE NEW RULES Work Life THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN CHARGE OF U.S. COMPANIES IS STILL VERY SMALL. HERE’S HOW TO CHANGE THAT Work Life THIS IS HOW BIG COMPANIES CAN BUST OUT OF BUREAUCRATIC THINKING * Advertise * Privacy Policy * Terms * Notice of Collection * Do Not Sell My Data * Permissions * Contact * About Us * Site Map * Fast Company & Inc © 2022 Mansueto Ventures, LLC * FAST COMPANY Follow * * * * * Login * Co.Design * Tech * Work Life * News * Impact * Podcasts * Video * Recommender * Innovation Festival 360IF360 * Subscribe * * FastCo Works * AWS * Deloitte * Genpact * HOMEPAGE * CO.DESIGN * TECH * WORK LIFE * NEWS * IMPACT * PODCASTS * VIDEO * RECOMMENDER * INNOVATION FESTIVAL 360 * SUBSCRIBE Help Center fastco works * AWS * BOSTON SCIENTIFIC * DELOITTE * DEPT * ELEVATE PRIZE * GENPACT * KLARNA * LOGITECH * SQUARE * VERIZON AWS * VISA * FASTCO WORKS An award-winning team of journalists, designers, and videographers who tell brand stories through Fast Company's distinctive lens FC Executive Board collections * FAST GOVERNMENT The future of innovation and technology in government for the greater good * MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES Our annual guide to the businesses that matter the most * MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE Leaders who are shaping the future of business in creative ways * WORLD CHANGING IDEAS New workplaces, new food sources, new medicine--even an entirely new economic system * INNOVATION BY DESIGN Celebrating the best ideas in business Newsletter Events * INNOVATION FESTIVAL Courses and LearningAdvertiseCurrent Issue Current Issue SUBSCRIBE Follow us: advertisement advertisement * 07-12-16 FIVE SURPRISING, SCIENCE-BACKED WAYS TO BOOST YOUR CREATIVITY RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT JUST STARING AT THE APPLE LOGO MAY SPUR CREATIVE THOUGHT. HERE’S WHY. [Photo: Flickr user zeevveez; App Photo: amdandy, Getty Images] * * * * By Amantha Imber 4 minute Read You might not think of yourself as especially creative. And maybe–right now–you aren’t. But a growing body of scientific research suggests that anyone has the ability to become at least a little more creative than they already are, sometimes in surprising ways. Here are a few of the stranger approaches to boosting your creativity. advertisement advertisement 1. STARE AT THE APPLE LOGO Who would’ve thought that you could jumpstart creative thinking just by looking at a picture? Duke University professor Gavan Fitzsimons and a few of his colleagues recently wondered if it could. They were interested in the different effects that exposure to association-laden images might have on people’s ability to think creatively. Specifically, they sought to test whether the logos of Apple or IBM–the former famous for originality and sleek design, the latter better known by contrast (fairly or not) for providing plain beige-box computers. In one study, participants were asked to look at either the Apple or the IBM logo. They were then asked to generate as many uses as they could think of for a brick. The researchers found that individuals who were exposed to the Apple logo performed significantly better on the idea generation task than did the IBM group. Now, this is just one correlation from one study, but the researchers attributed the noticeable difference to the difference in popular associations people tend to have between the two tech companies. On balance–and rightly or wrongly–many people think of Apple as a wellspring of innovation, a company that’s different from the norm. Merely seeing the Apple logo can trigger these associations, which may lead in turn to a significant increase in creative thought. advertisement advertisement 2. PICTURE YOURSELF ON A HOT DATE When it comes time to mate, male bowerbirds spend much of their time making colorful and elaborate nests. In selecting a mate, a female bowerbird is attracted to the males that have built the most creatively decorated ones. Just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise increases our ability to solve problems creatively . . . [an] effect [that] lasts for up to two hours. A group of researchers at the University of Arizona hypothesized a similar link between mating and creativity among humans. In a series of experiments, participants were required to complete several creativity-based tasks. One group launched straight into the tasks while another was asked to imagine themselves on a hot date with a top-quality mate. Those assigned to the “hot date” group performed significantly better on the creative tasks. Interestingly, the tendency to be more creative after envisioning oneself on a date with someone physically attractive was especially pronounced in male participants. The effect was seen in the women in this group, too, just as long as they imagined a date they also found to be trustworthy and reliable. advertisement The researchers suggested that humans evolved in a way that required them to demonstrate their creativity to attract members of the opposite sex. Throughout history, creativity has been regarded as a sign of a person’s adaptability and problem-solving skills, which in turn suggest an ability to confront–and survive–some of life’s most complex challenges. 3. MOVE UP YOUR GYM TIME If you happen to be a morning exerciser, or someone who sweats it out during your lunch break, you may be on to something. David Blanchette and his colleagues at Rhode Island College found that completing just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise increases our ability to solve problems creatively–and that this effect lasts for up to two hours after we’ve finished exercising. So if you tend to work out after work, you’re probably losing out on that creative boost. If your workday can benefit from more creative thinking, you might be wise to reschedule your exercise regimen for the morning or squeeze it in midday. advertisement 4. WARM UP–WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS Just as you wouldn’t go for a run or lift weights without warming up, research suggests that you shouldn’t try creative problem-solving without first getting into the right frame of mind. So how do you do that? RELATED: * 10 Daily Routines For Honing Your Creativity * The Science Of Why Scarcity Makes Us More Creative * Four Surprising Factors That Influence Creativity * 6 How Nostalgia Fuels Creativity Research published in the Journal of Marketing Research compared people’s creative problem-solving abilities after playing with LEGOs in different ways. One group had to “kit-build” (that is, build a specific creation) and the other group was able to “free-build.” Those who had to follow instructions and solve a well-defined problem performed significantly worse on a subsequent creative task than those who free-built. Don’t just make time to warm up before digging into a tough problem–be conscious of how you warm up: Make sure the tasks that precede time spent on creative projects are unstructured (or at least less structured) and free-flowing. Whatever you do, don’t go right from Excel spreadsheets straight to brainstorming. advertisement 5. GRAB A SANDWICH Ultimately, the success of our creative thinking rests on whether it results in good decisions. And the best time to make these decisions, researchers have found, is when our stomach isn’t running on empty. Our stomachs produce the hormone ghrelin when we’re hungry, and that can lead to more impulsive decision-making. So before making your next big decision about which ideas to move forward with and which to leave behind, grab a bite to eat first. You’ll be able to think less impulsively–and, ideally, more creatively–about what to do next. Amantha Imber is the founder of Inventium, an innovation consultancy that only uses tools that have been scientifically proven to work. Her latest book, The Innovation Formula, tackles the topic of how organizations can create a culture where innovation thrives. advertisement RELATED VIDEO: WATCH T-PAIN’S SURPRISING ADVICE FOR GETTING OVER A CREATIVE BLOCK advertisement advertisement advertisement advertisement VIDEO Inside the music and social media trends that shaped the Most Innovative Companies list Fast Company senior editor Amy Farley sits down with multimedia editor KC Ifeanyi for his take on how the music and social media lists came together for this year's Most Innovative Companies list. More Videos 0 seconds of 3 minutes, 39 secondsVolume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Seek %0-9 Next Up Why our editors put the Canva CEO on the cover of the ‘Most Innovative Companies’ issue 03:36 Settings OffMic Daily Show Ep2 Music Social Font Color White Font Opacity 100% Font Size 100% Font Family Arial Character Edge None Background Color Black Background Opacity 50% Window Color Black Window Opacity 0% Reset WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%25% 200%175%150%125%100%75%50% ArialCourierGeorgiaImpactLucida ConsoleTahomaTimes New RomanTrebuchet MSVerdana NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop Shadow WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25%0% WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25%0% facebook twitter Email Linkhttps://www.fastcompany.com/video/looking-for-a-black-owned-business-to-support-here-are-three-of-our-favorites/SqcESUIe?jwsource=cl Copied Auto180p1080p720p406p270p180p Live 00:00 03:39 03:39 IMPACT Impact THIS STARTUP USES AN ANCIENT MICROBE TO TURN CO2 INTO INGREDIENTS FOR FOOD Impact A LARGE NUMBER OF BIG CORPORATIONS JUST FLUNKED AN ASSESSMENT OF THEIR NET-ZERO PROGRESS Impact MEET THE 21-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT REPORTING ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE NEWS News IKEA FOUNDATION DELIVERS MILLIONS IN ‘IMMEDIATE’ AID AS REFUGEES POUR OUT OF UKRAINE News FREEDOM FRIES 2.0: PEOPLE ARE SHUNNING VODKA, BALLET PERFORMANCES, AND EVERYTHING RUSSIAN News HOW TO GET REAL UKRAINE NEWS TO RUSSIANS: THIS GROUP IS STARTING WITH PROGRAMMATIC AD TECH CO.DESIGN Co.Design IN IRELAND, OLD WIND-TURBINE BLADES ARE BEING USED TO BUILD BRIDGES Co.Design THE CLEVER WAY ONE FASHION CREATOR IS USING TIKTOK TO CHALLENGE NORMS ABOUT DISABILITY Co.Design HOW SCIENTISTS GREW SPINACH IN THE DESERT BY HARVESTING WATER OUT OF THIN AIR WORK LIFE Work Life THE OLD WAY OF INTERVIEWING FOR JOBS IS DEAD. HERE’S HOW TO PLAY BY THE NEW RULES Work Life THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN CHARGE OF U.S. COMPANIES IS STILL VERY SMALL. HERE’S HOW TO CHANGE THAT Work Life THIS IS HOW BIG COMPANIES CAN BUST OUT OF BUREAUCRATIC THINKING * Advertise * Privacy Policy * Terms * Notice of Collection * Do Not Sell My Data * Permissions * Contact * About Us * Site Map * Fast Company & Inc © 2022 Mansueto Ventures, LLC * search by queryly Advanced Search WE VALUE YOUR PRIVACY To deliver the best possible experience, we and our partners use techniques such as cookies to store and/or access information on a device and provide personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Precise geolocation and information about device characteristics can be used. Personal data such as network address and browsing activity may be processed. You may click to consent to the processing described above or review options and make granular choices. Some processing may not require your consent, but you have a right to object. Your preferences will apply to this site only. You may change your mind at any time by visiting our privacy policy. review options accept & continue #browser_notifications_enabled #browser_notification_subscriber_blocked #session_pageviews_1 #capture_slider_active #capture_lightbox_active #traffic_source_is_email