For days now it’s been distracting you, this problem. You just can’t see a way forward. You’ve tried all the usual fixes – journalling your feelings, comparing pros and cons, talking it over with friends – but nothing has shifted. Exhausted at the end of a dispiriting week, you’re having a long soak in the bath and suddenly, almost miraculously, the solution presents itself.
It’s much the same with creative inspiration. People tend to think of creativity as something that requires a lot of intentional focus. In the popular psyche, a writer sits at a desk, brow furrowed as they hover their pen over the blank page, waiting for inspiration to strike. But often, ideas occur unexpectedly at quiet moments: the first line of a poem flutters into view while you’re ambling around the park, or the theme for a short story emerges as you wipe down the kitchen counters.
Silent sparks
Why is it that some people have their best ideas while walking the dog, or solve problems in the shower? ‘Quiet moments help spark creativity because they shift your brain out of task mode and into a more reflective, associative state known as the default mode network,’ explains Counselling Directory member Linzi Littleford, from Hertfordshire, UK. ‘When you’re walking, bathing or doing something low demand, your brain’s default mode network becomes active. This is the part that is responsible for making connections, spotting patterns and integrating experiences. With fewer inputs and less pressure, your nervous system calms, mental space opens up and subconscious processing can happen. This is why insights often arrive unexpectedly in the shower or on a walk, because you’ve stopped forcing solutions and given your brain the space it needs to think more freely and creatively.’
Often, these creative insights occur without even trying. You might have experienced this: popping to the corner shop for milk, you realise how you can help someone you’ve been worried about. Or maybe, midway through gentle widths at the pool, the information you need to include in that tricky work presentation flows into your mind from nowhere.
‘Any activities that involve rhythmic or repetitive movement can help to calm the nervous system and reduce cognitive load, which in turn creates mental space for the mind to wander, allowing ideas, patterns and connections to emerge more freely,’ adds Linzi.
A gentle moment
You might already know what kind of situations spark your creativity or help you think through your thoughts. But you may not have experienced these moments often, or are unsure about what works best for you.
‘Consider an activity with low cognitive demand, reduced external input and a sense of psychological safety,’ says Linzi. She suggests this could include household tasks like washing up or folding laundry, pottering in the garden, painting or sitting on public transport without scrolling on your phone. Because these activities are often repetitive or require less focus, they help to regulate the nervous system. ‘With fewer demands placed on conscious thinking, your thoughts are able to move more freely, enabling subconscious processing and supporting reflective thinking,’ she explains. ‘Creativity often emerges from a combination of simplicity, rhythm and reduced pressure.’ If you’re not sure what works for you, it can help to reflect on past occasions where you’ve found you’ve had creative ideas, or that encouraged problem solving. Was it a particular activity or setting? Do you remember how you felt at the time? What helped you feel relaxed and able to let your mind work through your thoughts?
‘Over time, noticing which environments or activities feel most conducive to free thinking can help you understand what best supports your own creativity, recognising that this will vary from person to person,’ Linzi says.
If you have a specific problem you want to solve, or are hoping for inspiration for your next poem, quiet spaces can sometimes help your mind find the answers. This can be helpful if you’ve been feeling frustrated about something you want to sort out, or are experiencing a creative block.
‘Entering quiet spaces with a specific creative aim can be helpful as long as the intention is held lightly,’ Linzi says. It won’t work every time, but it can be a way of giving your mind the space to wander and hopefully to stumble upon something that will help. Linzi recommends briefly naming the problem out loud to prime the brain and give the subconscious something to reflect on, without forcing an immediate solution. ‘The key here is to set a simple question, then to let your attention drift rather than actively try to problem solve. Insights often arise indirectly, once pressure and focus are removed.’
Carving out quiet time
It can be hard to find these quiet spaces. You may have other responsibilities competing for your attention, and the idea of a stroll to nurture your ideas might feel difficult to schedule. And we don’t always make the most of the opportunities we do have: it’s common to have earbuds in and listen to a podcast while walking, for example, or to scroll on your phone during a coffee break. These can detract from the chance to let your mind drift.
Linzi points out how being expected to be always ‘on call’, such as responding to messages even in downtime, adds to this, keeping the brain in high demand mode and leaving little space for reflection or creativity.
‘This makes intentionally seeking out quiet, low stimulation moments even more important,’ she says. ‘Even brief pockets of calm can all add up, allowing the nervous system to regulate, thoughts to process and connections to emerge. Prioritising these moments is not indulgent, but rather essential for creative thinking, mental clarity and overall wellbeing.’
It can help to purposefully weave these moments into your day. ‘Rather than aiming for large blocks of time, it’s probably more realistic to build small pauses into your existing routines – walking instead of driving short journeys, for example, taking a few minutes of silence in the shower, stepping outside between tasks or pausing before checking your phone in the morning,’ says Linzi. Scheduling breaks in tune with your own natural energy peaks and troughs can be useful, too.
‘Only brief moments of mental space are needed to help regulate the nervous system and restore cognitive clarity. Try to aim for a few small breaks throughout the day, as regular micro pauses accumulate and create space for reflection, creativity and emotional processing without adding pressure.’
Of course, the plot for a short story isn’t going to strike every time you sweep the floor, and sometimes a long soak in the bath will just be about feeling more relaxed, rather than seeking a brilliant solution to that work issue that’s been bothering you. But by weaving more quiet times into the day, you can help soothe your nervous system, feel calmer and give your mind that space and time to wander.
Linzi’s tips for nurturing creativity
How to get the most out of quiet time, especially if you find it hard to fit moments of pause into your day.
- Start by setting a gentle intention – perhaps a question or theme to plant an idea without pressure.
- Minimise distractions – put your phone away and silence your notifications.
- Even if it feels uncomfortable, allow yourself to be bored. Just let your thoughts drift rather than forcing solutions.
- Capture ideas after a successful quiet interlude with a quick note or voice memo, so any insights or ideas aren’t lost.
- Build consistency and try to find small daily pockets of downtime so your mind regularly gets space to explore and connect ideas.
You can contact Linzi at counselling-directory.org.uk/counsellors/linzi-littleford-bqtzvd