Picasso once said, "The chief enemy of creativity is good sense." With all due respect to Picasso, science is telling us exactly what it takes to advance our creative output. This scientific approach to creativity makes a lot more sense to us engineers, who tend to need a little more logical reasoning and a little less haphazardness.
Maintenance of the brain takes place in three ways: physical, mental and emotional. In order to perform at its best, the brain requires that all three needs be met to varying degrees and deprived of even one of the three, it will not work to its fullest potential.
In order to optimize brain health and increase creativity, most individuals need to reduce their body weight through diet and exercise. The evidence does not show that a few extra pounds harm creativity; it is the consistent over eating that drains the creative spark.
Recent studies suggest the brain flushes out toxins during sleep, which helps the brain perform properly and it works to reorder and rebalance synapses. The unconscious mind is adept at processing very large data sets with multiple variables and connecting disparate ideas in previously unknown ways.
Stress reduces the brain’s ability to process information and the more the brain is able to relax, the more efficiently it performs. Maximizing creative output requires intense concentration on the subject at hand and that concentration requires relaxation.
The mind can only process the information that it receives. It is more important than ever to guard against the constant barrage of digital distraction because it kills productivity and it hinders the mind’s ability to garner creative insight.
The idea of a mind floating through life and subsequently struck with a life changing inspiration is a myth that only happens in movies. There is no basis to believe it will happen in reality, so your creativity should be intentional and purposeful.
Whether you're at the beginning of your engineering career and ideas are flowing effortlessly, or you're starting to hit the proverbial "wall" and generating innovative ideas is a struggle, our eBook is designed to help all engineers maintain and continually tap into your creative brain. Download our free eBook to explore seven unique, scientifically-proven methods that will improve your creativity. Each section is complete with actionable steps that we call brain hacks that can be applied quickly and set you on a journey to achieving your ultimate creative potential.