Before you get offended by the title of the post, let me just make it clear that this has nothing to do with your hygiene. I’m sure you smell really good. Definitely better than me at the moment (I have yet to shower today). The reason I tell you this is because I have discovered that the shower is a magical place for brainstorming and creativity.
I used to consider showering as just another task in my day, and I actually got annoyed about “wasting” precious naptime minutes doing so. After all, ever since Mia was born, my “office hours” are pretty much limited to early morning, naptime, and post-bedtime. I have to be really creative with how I fit all of my work in, and rarely is there time I can devote to simply brainstorming and coming up with new ideas.
And then one day I had a realization: MANY of my good ideas throughout the last few years were hatched in the shower. This wasn’t an intentional thing, but that “a-ha!” moment changed my perspective on time spent in the shower. Ever since, I look forward to those 10-15 minutes when I can just let my mind wander and work its magic.
I think the reason why the shower is such a good place for brainstorming is that your hands are busy, but you don’t have to think about what they’re doing. The sound of the water serves as white noise, which in my opinion is much more conducive to brainstorming than total silence. And finally, there’s no technology to distract you (honestly, how many times throughout the day is your phone, computer or other device out of reach?).
The key to making the most of a shower brainstorming session is to immediately write down your ideas when you get out, because otherwise they’ll disappear down the drain with the water — at least in my sleep-deprived, mom-brain experience. I use the notes app on my phone to collect all of my ideas in one place.
And one last piece of advice: don’t think too hard in there. Go in without expectations, let your mind truly wander, and you may be surprised at where your brain takes you.
