Why Your Best Ideas Come In The Shower
I think most people have one top idea in their mind at any given time. That's the idea their thoughts will drift toward when they're allowed to drift freely. And this idea will thus tend to get all the benefit of that type of thinking, while others are starved of it. Which means it's a disaster to let the wrong idea become the top one in your mind.I suspect a lot of people aren't sure what's the top idea in their mind at any given time. I'm often mistaken about it. I tend to think it's the idea I'd want to be the top one, rather than the one that is. But it's easy to figure this out: just take a shower. What topic do your thoughts keep returning to? If it's not what you want to be thinking about, you may want to change something.via paulgraham.com
Sachin Argarwal then expanded on how his best ideas come to him in the shower:
I have found that my best ideas come when I'm taking a shower, when my mind is left to wander. My thoughts will drift to the idea that is at the top of my mind and I will have a moment of clarity.
These days people seem to be addicted to information. We can't stop reading, watching TV, looking at photos, connecting with friends. But it's still important to have times when you just clear your mind and let it drift.
Here's what I've found helps to have these moments of clarity:
- Great ideas come in the shower. Make sure you bathe often :)
- Get plenty of sleep. Great ideas might not come while you're sleeping, but you will wake up refreshed with a clear mind
- Walk a lot. I find the slow pace of walking is great for thinking
- Go to the gym. Particularly when I'm on the treadmill or elliptical machine for 30 minutes, my mind gets bored and wanders. Great ideas surface when this happens
Paul Graham and Sachin are both dead on here. I too have found that my best ideas come to me when I'm in the shower. The real question is why?
The reason is pretty simple -- it is when my mind is most relaxed.
I would even expand this to say that my best ideas come to me when I'm in the shower after a long run. The main reason I love running for long distances is that it helps clear the mind. After the first couple of miles, the mind kind of shuts down and the body takes over. Hop into the shower after that run and you will find a totally clear mind ready for problem solving.
I would also a 5th item to Sachin's list here:
5. Go on a vacation.
If you, like Paul Graham mentions, consistently do not like the top idea in your mind, get away. Get out of town for a while. There is nothing like a vacation (ideally filled with lots of running, showering, eating and sleeping) to evaluate and prioritize what that top idea in your mind should be.




