THE PRODUCTIVE PAUSE
Design Statement The Productive Pause is a celebration of routine activities for creative practitioners to perform during downtime, promoting mind wandering – a catalyst for the generation of insights, during the incubation phase of the creative process. Key Insight The world we live in is a hyperactive and overstimulated one, with access to a plethora of information at one’s convenience. As technology growth saturates, perpetual stimulation and the suppression of boredom become the norm. This constant need to fill up the attention void with stimulating activities is apparent in local creative practitioners. As such, they only contribute to the deactivation of the Default-Mode Network, which is essential in making connections through unconscious thought processes in the brain. This poses a barrier to practising incubation, as the more an individual alleviates boredom through performing stimulating activities, the lower the chance for mind-wandering to occur. Therefore, in order to maximise creative potential, creative practitioners must not deprive themselves from boredom, and must resist the instinct to reach for stimulation because boredom is a catalyst to creative breakthroughs. Project Scope & Mission Statement In order to navigate the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world, creativity is an increasingly valuable asset, and no longer just for the creative professional. Extensive research has been conducted over the years to explore the intricacies of the elusive creative process, with the goal of determining ways one can consistently generate novel ideas. In recent years, neuroscience has shown that while engaging in undemanding and unrelated tasks, we activate the “Default Mode Network (DMN)” whereby we allow ourselves to mind-wander. For example, in the workplace, an undemanding and unrelated task would be snacking. According to data, such periods of inactivity are crucial to the domain of incubation, one of the four theorised stages of creativity by Graham Wallas in 1926. In other words, when we enter the DMN, original connections between ideas and thought are formed, sparking the “aha” moment when novel ideas are birthed. However, conventional society’s work ethic is inherently problematic. The prevailing principle is that creativity thrives solely on extensive conscious thought on the task at hand. Instead of spending time to let our minds wander, we are goal-oriented and spend most of our energies focused on activities to fulfil agenda, in order to be more efficient. However, it is in moments of “idleness”, or mind-wandering, that creative breakthroughs are incubated. The idea of productive inactivity here does not mean not doing anything at all. Rather, idleness refers to being engaged in mundane activities that are simply unrelated to the task at hand, and that require low amounts of concentration to perform (e.g. taking a shower, going for a walk etc). Hence, it is not about bypassing work, but rather, to intentionally take a productive pause through engaging in mundane routine activities. Therefore, this project aims to improve levels of creative productivity among creative professionals in Singapore by introducing the notion of “productive idleness”. By raising awareness on the productivity benefits of idleness, my research aims to provide the industry with an alternative solution to the elusive creative process. Challenges Since the nature of incubation is an all-or-nothing process, it creates an unpredictable outcome as not every participant may encounter flashes of insight. Hence, the measure of success should encompass other beneficial and positive attributes that the candidates may have experienced. Communication Objective The Productive Pause aims to encourage creative practitioners to redefine their creative process, by changing their approach to periods of downtime. Instead of engaging in continued mental stimulation during breaks from their tasks at hand, creatives should embrace the value of idleness, and deliberately foster periods of inactivity into their lives. This project highlights the importance of investing time into performing mundane tasks that promote mind-wandering. These are effective alternative solutions to the creative process, that creative practitioners can employ instead of sustaining conscious effort. Significance The Productive Pause aims to shake up the current creative process of most creative practitioners in LASALLE. By encouraging a culture where these practitioners begin to embrace the practice of mind-wandering, their individual process of novel insight generation will greatly improve, thereby boosting creative productivity. Target Audience Type: Students from LASALLE from degree or diploma Budding designers and artists ranging from first-time creatives to those who have been honing their craft for a while. They may be still refining their raw working style, as learned in school/taught by teachers. Age: 18 to 30 years old All require creative breakthroughs at some point, or bulk of academic year. May remain on campus to complete work, or bring work home (differs from specialisation to specialisation, and kind of infrastructure needed). Visual, progressive, accumulative nature of work may allow for easier, instantaneous comparisons among peers, giving rise to the need for constant stimulation. Measure of Success When the creative productivity rates of creative practitioners improve. This can be measured in various ways:
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Bored To Death
Bored to Death is a visual compendium showcasing the variety of activities LASALLE students perform in their downtime. Though the sources of engagement vary, the conditions of each activity are consistent: it demands focus and high cognitive input. In other words, LASALLE students utilise their downtime to disengage from their academic tasks, only to seek stimulation in different forms.
This practice hampers the production of novel insights, impeding the creativity so highly important to each member of the Lasalle creative community. Through different series of photo narratives, Bored to Death documents the culture of overstimulation in Lasalle, and the gradual demise of mind-wandering. Each series is an interpretive portrayal of how creative practitioners forsake the fruits of mind-wandering, for stimulating activities. From a process of mental mastication to something negatively-filtered, boredom has been undervalued and misused. The title Bored to Death is also a commentary on this subversion of boredom as it becomes a “dying art”, with little wonder why so many lament their frustrating “mental blocks” and lack of creative breakthrough. But beyond its eulogy to boredom, Bored to Death challenges the reader to flip this phenomenon around. Instead of being bored to inaction, this compendium inspires the reader to embrace boredom, in order to best facilitate their own creative process.
Bored to Death is a visual compendium showcasing the variety of activities LASALLE students perform in their downtime. Though the sources of engagement vary, the conditions of each activity are consistent: it demands focus and high cognitive input. In other words, LASALLE students utilise their downtime to disengage from their academic tasks, only to seek stimulation in different forms.
This practice hampers the production of novel insights, impeding the creativity so highly important to each member of the Lasalle creative community. Through different series of photo narratives, Bored to Death documents the culture of overstimulation in Lasalle, and the gradual demise of mind-wandering. Each series is an interpretive portrayal of how creative practitioners forsake the fruits of mind-wandering, for stimulating activities. From a process of mental mastication to something negatively-filtered, boredom has been undervalued and misused. The title Bored to Death is also a commentary on this subversion of boredom as it becomes a “dying art”, with little wonder why so many lament their frustrating “mental blocks” and lack of creative breakthrough. But beyond its eulogy to boredom, Bored to Death challenges the reader to flip this phenomenon around. Instead of being bored to inaction, this compendium inspires the reader to embrace boredom, in order to best facilitate their own creative process.
The Club
The Productive Pause gathers a community of creative practitioners to celebrate the power of routine activities in facilitating the creative process, through insight generation. These items are packed in kits, and offered to individual members of the Club, as a kickstart to their personal journey of practising the productive pause during downtime. Rather than digital communication, each kit was delivered via snail mail, to steer away from the constant stimulation that screens provide.
The Productive Pause gathers a community of creative practitioners to celebrate the power of routine activities in facilitating the creative process, through insight generation. These items are packed in kits, and offered to individual members of the Club, as a kickstart to their personal journey of practising the productive pause during downtime. Rather than digital communication, each kit was delivered via snail mail, to steer away from the constant stimulation that screens provide.
The Experiment
A three-day experiment was conducted with the objective of testing the success of selected routine tasks in generating insights, among LASALLE students during their downtime. The experiment was held at Block F, Level 1 of the LASALLE campus, and managed to reach out to a total of 60 participants from various courses across the institution.
A three-day experiment was conducted with the objective of testing the success of selected routine tasks in generating insights, among LASALLE students during their downtime. The experiment was held at Block F, Level 1 of the LASALLE campus, and managed to reach out to a total of 60 participants from various courses across the institution.
The six routine activities are:
1. Mental Mastication
Eating is such a social activity that solo dining is somewhat stigmatised. People who eat by themselves tend to be perceived as sad and unaccompanied. It is no wonder then, that solo diners usually occupy themselves with their digital device to seem busy or less lonely. “Mental Mastication” rekindles the joys of solo dining, and extols the power of a mealtime free from cognitive stimulation. The word "mastication" refers to the mind’s unconscious processes of digesting information previously ingested. In other words, as you enjoy your snack, your wandering mind will be chewing on food for thought - and you won’t even be aware of it. So go ahead, tuck in!
2. Trim of Thought
Some chew, some like growing them out, others pay professionals to groom them. However you choose to deal with your fingernails, trimming them is a process that requires attention and precision. Yet, it is simple and direct enough that not much mental exertion is needed for completion. In other words, it’s a great activity to get the mind wandering for a productive pause. A play on the phrase “train of thought”, “Trim of Thought” interrupts the ongoing mental conversation in our heads. This is a short, practical exercise for creative practitioners to experience incubation, and the benefits of freeing the mind from constant stimulation.
3. Eareka!
“Eureka!” was what Archimedes exclaimed when the law of displacement came to him out of the blue, while he was relaxing in the bath. Inspired by the Greek term, “Eareka!” is an exercise celebrating the same mental incubation that led Archimedes to his novel insight. Through a commonly practised routine activity - cleaning ears with the help of cotton swabs - “Eareka!” invites creative practitioners to take a productive pause. When carrying out this exercise in aural hygiene, not only will your ear canals be cleared of its debris, mental listening will be facilitated and amplified too.
4. Lead to Wander
The beauty of wooden pencils is that after a certain point of usage, they become blunt and require sharpening - not unlike the human brain. After a period of mental stimulation, the mind can function more productively through entering into the incubation phase, as theorised by Graham Wallas’ creative process. “Lead to Wander” calls creative practitioners to take a breather between writing or sketching, to give both the mind and their pencils a productive pause. As participants go about sharpening their instruments, the repetitive action leads their minds to wander, facilitating the generation of novel insights.
5. Brush off the Block
Probably the most universal of all routine activities, toothbrushing definitely qualifies as a mundane task. The motions are so familiar that we often slip into daydreaming mode while we brush, which is the same state of mental incubation “Brush off the Block” hopes to induce among participants. As scientifically proven, mind-wandering facilitates unconscious processing in the brain, and the generation of novel insights. Creative practitioners who find themselves stuck in a mental block may perform this activity. As their minds wander while they slip into incubation, they may just emerge to find themselves stuck in the creative rut no more.
6. Steep & Brew
Coffee has always been associated with the work process. Not just a physically stimulating caffeinated beverage for late nights, the act of sipping a cuppa is symbolic of a productivity boost. “Steep & Brew” is a toast to this unrivalled significance of coffee, by inviting creative practitioners to take a breather from work with some java. While preparing a cup of coffee, your mind slips into incubation, away from the demands of work. As the coffee grounds steep in hot water, so do your thoughts, brewing via unconscious processes in your mind. This productive pause gives new meaning to the purpose of coffee in the creative process, as a facilitator of idling and thus, the generation of novel insights. Cheers to that!
1. Mental Mastication
Eating is such a social activity that solo dining is somewhat stigmatised. People who eat by themselves tend to be perceived as sad and unaccompanied. It is no wonder then, that solo diners usually occupy themselves with their digital device to seem busy or less lonely. “Mental Mastication” rekindles the joys of solo dining, and extols the power of a mealtime free from cognitive stimulation. The word "mastication" refers to the mind’s unconscious processes of digesting information previously ingested. In other words, as you enjoy your snack, your wandering mind will be chewing on food for thought - and you won’t even be aware of it. So go ahead, tuck in!
2. Trim of Thought
Some chew, some like growing them out, others pay professionals to groom them. However you choose to deal with your fingernails, trimming them is a process that requires attention and precision. Yet, it is simple and direct enough that not much mental exertion is needed for completion. In other words, it’s a great activity to get the mind wandering for a productive pause. A play on the phrase “train of thought”, “Trim of Thought” interrupts the ongoing mental conversation in our heads. This is a short, practical exercise for creative practitioners to experience incubation, and the benefits of freeing the mind from constant stimulation.
3. Eareka!
“Eureka!” was what Archimedes exclaimed when the law of displacement came to him out of the blue, while he was relaxing in the bath. Inspired by the Greek term, “Eareka!” is an exercise celebrating the same mental incubation that led Archimedes to his novel insight. Through a commonly practised routine activity - cleaning ears with the help of cotton swabs - “Eareka!” invites creative practitioners to take a productive pause. When carrying out this exercise in aural hygiene, not only will your ear canals be cleared of its debris, mental listening will be facilitated and amplified too.
4. Lead to Wander
The beauty of wooden pencils is that after a certain point of usage, they become blunt and require sharpening - not unlike the human brain. After a period of mental stimulation, the mind can function more productively through entering into the incubation phase, as theorised by Graham Wallas’ creative process. “Lead to Wander” calls creative practitioners to take a breather between writing or sketching, to give both the mind and their pencils a productive pause. As participants go about sharpening their instruments, the repetitive action leads their minds to wander, facilitating the generation of novel insights.
5. Brush off the Block
Probably the most universal of all routine activities, toothbrushing definitely qualifies as a mundane task. The motions are so familiar that we often slip into daydreaming mode while we brush, which is the same state of mental incubation “Brush off the Block” hopes to induce among participants. As scientifically proven, mind-wandering facilitates unconscious processing in the brain, and the generation of novel insights. Creative practitioners who find themselves stuck in a mental block may perform this activity. As their minds wander while they slip into incubation, they may just emerge to find themselves stuck in the creative rut no more.
6. Steep & Brew
Coffee has always been associated with the work process. Not just a physically stimulating caffeinated beverage for late nights, the act of sipping a cuppa is symbolic of a productivity boost. “Steep & Brew” is a toast to this unrivalled significance of coffee, by inviting creative practitioners to take a breather from work with some java. While preparing a cup of coffee, your mind slips into incubation, away from the demands of work. As the coffee grounds steep in hot water, so do your thoughts, brewing via unconscious processes in your mind. This productive pause gives new meaning to the purpose of coffee in the creative process, as a facilitator of idling and thus, the generation of novel insights. Cheers to that!
The Results
Based on the findings of the experiment, the act of toothbrushing had the highest rate of successful insight generation. 60% of the participants walked away with an experience of a Eureka! moment. Thus for LASALLE students who are first-timers in the practising the productive pause, this would be a recommended activity for them, to enter into the incubation phase of the creative process.
Based on the findings of the experiment, the act of toothbrushing had the highest rate of successful insight generation. 60% of the participants walked away with an experience of a Eureka! moment. Thus for LASALLE students who are first-timers in the practising the productive pause, this would be a recommended activity for them, to enter into the incubation phase of the creative process.
Thoughts From A Wandering Mind
During periods of mind-wandering, a region in the brain known as the Default Mode Network (DMN) is activated. As a result, insights are triggered or produced. While participants performed the routine activities, they were tasked to jot down any thoughts that came to their minds during wandering. Based on the data collected, 38% of the participants experienced a creative breakthrough, or had an insight as a result of carrying out the routine activities. |