It begins in the same predictable fashion every time: you’re mindlessly washing your hair when the unexpected happens. Fresh thinking. An answer to an issue. That one item you failed to remember yesterday? Filed away.
How is this even possible?
As it happens, the brain is an incredibly strange organ. The area of the brain that is responsible for conscious cognition, the prefrontal cortex, goes into overdrive mode when you’re determined to find the answers. That’s not necessarily a positive thing. Concentration, in excess, can stifle original thought.
Something changes, though, the second you step into a hot shower. Your muscles unwind. When you aren’t actively attempting to think, your brain goes into what is called a default mode network (DMN), a fancy word in neuroscience. In this carefree, daydreaming condition, your subconscious has an opportunity to offer associations you weren’t aware existed.
Additionally, water is involved. White noise, in the form of running water, can help you focus by blocking out background noise. You don’t have your phone on you. It’s not like you’re juggling multiple tasks at once. You’re completely present, friendly, and receptive.
Incubation is another concept; it’s the time that passes after you give something a lot of thought and then put it aside. For thoughts to settle, shuffle, and occasionally crash into something new, that “break” is necessary. The shower, strangely enough, works like a charm as an incubator.
You should realize that having a “eureka” moment while you’re washing your hair is not a random occurrence. In other words, it’s your brain rearranging, breathing, and rewarding you for letting it be. Taking a step back is the best course of action to take sometimes.
Need some fresh concepts? Attempt to think less. A simple shower will do.