|
|
| January 2009 |  |
 |
e are creatures of habit, to be sure, and that can be a good thing.
In fact, brain researchers have discovered an interesting—and
surprising—connection between habits and creativity.As science writer Janet Rae-Dupree explains in The New York Times, when we force ourselves to develop new habits, we are creating brain cells. And these new cells form “synaptic pathways” that allow us to  “jump
our trains of thought” onto more innovative tracks, so to speak.In fact, says Rae-Dupree, the more new things we try—the more we step outside our comfort zone—the more inherently creative we can become, both in the workplace and in our personal lives. Luckily, this doesn’t mean we have to kill off our old habits first. It turns out they are so deeply engrained, they’re not going anywhere anyway. But developing new habits in a very deliberate way will allow us, in effect, to bypass some of those deep ruts and travel on newly formed “parallel pathways.” How our changes can jumpstart innovation In her book This Year I Will…., author M. J. Ryan reminds us that the emotional side of our brain can be afraid of change, even if it’s positive. “If the fear is big enough, the fight-or-flight response will go off and we’ll run from what we’re trying to do.” She suggests trying the Japanese technique known as kaizen, which calls for tiny, continuous improvements: “The small steps in kaizen…keep us in the thinking brain, where we have access to our creativity and playfulness,” she says. Ryan and Dawna Markova, who work together as executive change consultants, have conceptualized three zones of existence. The “comfort zone” is the realm of our existing habits. The “stress zone” is where a challenge is far beyond our experiences. And right there in the middle is the “stretch zone,” where we feel a little awkward but where change can occur. To practice a small change, Markova, in her book The Open Mind, suggests lacing your hands together. “You habitually do it one way. Now try doing it with the other thumb on top. Feels awkward, doesn’t it?” That’s an example of a moment researchers call “confusion—when we fuse the old with the new.” She continues, “You cannot have innovation unless you’re willing and able to move through the unknown and go from curiosity to wonder.” When we tackle new things, we are challenging our brains to create new pathways. And if we stop learning, our brain begins to atrophy. As Ryan puts it, “Getting into the stretch zone is good for you. It keeps your brain healthy.” 
|
On the Job | We Recommend | A Healthy You | Home
