The 'Creativity Crisis' and Why Boredom is Your Best Friend
Giving the unconscious mind room to work its magic like Einstein
As AI continues to reshape our world at breakneck speed, one skill stands out as essential for thriving in the future: creativity.
But here’s the problem: we are in the midst of a ‘creativity crisis’. Research shows people are becoming less imaginative, less communicative, and even less humorous.
The researchers point the finger at “hurried, over-scheduled lives” and particularly at the time spent “interacting with electronic entertainment devices”.
Yet the evidence is clear: boredom actually increases creativity.
Einstein understood this. He spent hours floating on a sailboat, doing nothing but letting his mind wander. It was during these ‘aimless’ moments that his most profound insights emerged.
And yet how many of us embrace doing nothing and allowing ourselves to ‘be bored’ these days?
Look around next time you’re waiting for a train. The vast majority of people will be glued to their phones, scrolling away. It’s a sight I find deeply depressing - we’re increasingly becoming a species of dopamine-addicted zombies.
Harnessing the Intelligent Unconscious
When I wrote my book, I worked in focused three-hour blocks every morning. Earplugs in, phone and email off - I’d aim to write 500 words, and the process was often torturous.
Then, when my lunchtime alarm went off, I’d swim, have a sauna, and return to my desk refreshed.
It was during those breaks that my unconscious mind worked its magic. I’d come back full of new ideas, ready to write with ease and flow.
That’s why what we feed our unconscious matters. Tweets, news articles, and infinite scrolling? They aren’t our friends.
How to Bring Creativity Back
Here are some practices that work for me:
Set boundaries with devices. Remember, if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product. (I use a phone lock case, for example.)
Walk in nature. The vastness of the sky, the stillness of the trees - it calms the mind and quietens my chattering ego.
Embrace pauses. I try and take short breaks to stare out of the window, follow my breath down in my belly or do some light exercise.
Work in focused bursts. I do 50-minute sessions with earplugs in, distractions off. When my timer goes off, I take a 10-minute break.
Stretch your attention. Whether it be meditation, reading a book or working on a project - the longer you can stay focussed on one thing at a time the more likely you are to enter flow, which is closely correlated with creativity.
Explore More
On today’s episode of A New Way of Being, I dive deeper into this topic with Chris Smith - award-winning author, broadcaster, comedian, and my old Radio 1 Newsbeat colleague. Chris gave me some of the best creativity advice I’ve ever received back in the day, and we explore how to cultivate creativity in an increasingly chaotic and frazzled world.
Also, I’m developing a course about moving out of overwhelm and into flow and creativity, based on talks and workshops I’ve given for the UK Government, international negotiators, and global brands here in the UK and in the US - as well as insights from my book and interviews with performers, scientists and world-renowned thinkers. I’ll have more details soon.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts—how do you keep your creative spark alive, and what gets in its way?
Good article. Creativity definitely flourishes when it is allowed time and space. Being able to have periods of calm deep focus, e.g reading and walking with nature allows the creative side of the brain to kick in. Unfortunately the digital world can so easily become short focused and reactionary