Tag Archives: thoughts

Shower Thoughts

Why We Get Our Best Ideas in the Shower

Have you ever realized that you get your best ideas while lathering on soap in the shower? It seems a little strange…why would your brain be producing such great ideas while you’re in the buff? You may think that your time in the shower is a time for you to shut off, but it’s actually when your brain is the most active.

When you’re doing something monotonous such as bathing, it activates your brain’s default mode network. Your mind then begins to wander, making it more likely for you to have a creative epiphany. Have a difficult problem that you’ve been trying to solve? It’s likely you’ll solve it in the shower.

Standing under nice, warm water relaxes you so much that your brain also releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Just a small dose of this can boost your creative juices. This is why the ideas you have in the shower are so much better than those you have at work. You’re in a nice, warm, relaxed setting with no external pressures or distractions to interrupt your thought process.

So, how can you capitalize on this time in the shower? If you’re coming up with ground-breaking ideas and you want to remember them, consider getting a water soluble pen to write your ideas on the glass or wall. In the shower, you have no judgment or analysis from others, which should allow your ideas to flow without you second-guessing. Use this time to solve problems and brainstorm so you can begin your day (or the next day) feeling empowered to follow through on your ideas.