If I could show you a guaranteed way of being more creative, would you be interested?
If you said no, then I suspect your creativity is through the roof, so if I could show you a guaranteed way of being more analytical when necessary, would you want to know more?
Well I can, so read on.
There’s a better than even chance you think of yourself as either a right-brained artistic type or a left-brained logical type. The problem is, whatever you think, you’re wrong, because you’re not right-brained and you’re not left-brained, you’re both.
I want you to think of a time when you were disturbed whilst being in the zone, a time when what you were doing seemed effortless and you were in the state Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi christened as, flow.
Presuming your interruption was for more than a few minutes, what happened when you returned to the task at hand?
Almost certainly you would have struggled to pick up the momentum again and you may well have become frustrated with not just the person that caused your break in concentration, but also with yourself for not being able to reconnect.
Only it wasn’t their fault at all, or even yours for that matter.
Every 90 to 110 minutes or so your brain switches sides. By that I mean the electrical and metabolic activity in one hemisphere increases as the other side naturally decreases.
If you were writing a blog post prior to the interruption it’s almost certain that your left brain was on top of things because it’s the left side that deals with language. If you were sculpting a small barnyard animal out of balloons you were using the creative right side of your brain.
Unfortunately for you, during the break your brain flipped sides and was no longer interested in doing whatever it had been pursuing and was looking for a change. No matter how hard you force yourself in those circumstances you’re never going to regain your previous flow state.
Do me a favor please. Close your mouth and take a deep breath through your nose.
Did you notice how you breath flowed up the nasal cavity more easily on one side than the other?
If not, do it again, only this time hold down one nostril and breathe in and then do the same with the other. One flows in easily and unencumbered, but the other probably feels like you have a bit cold.
That is due to vascular constriction and the side where the blood vessels are more constricted will allow air to pass through it much more easily.
Vascular constriction is controlled by the autonomic nervous system which is one of the few parts of the brain that doesn’t cross over. In other words, if you’re right nasal passage has constricted blood vessels then so has the right side of your brain. Which means you that you are predominantly using the opposite hemisphere of your brain.
This information is interesting enough on it’s own I think you’ll agree, but how can we take it from interesting to practical, useful and even mind-blowing?
Most of us have tasks and/or projects that require different skills sets. When I’m writing a blog post like this, if I want it to be halfway coherent I want to be using my left brain, but when I’m thinking about creative ideas for posts or ways I can make my posts more amusing, I’m better using my right brain.
What if when you set off working in the morning you looked at your tasks and realized approximately half required left brain thinking and half right brain? You know by doing the above exercise you’re already in right brain mode, so you can kick off my starting a creative task knowing that it will be easier for you.
You could then alternate through the day and retain optimum performance without ever really having to force yourself.
You can even try and take this to whole other level if you have no opportunity to alternate tasks. If you have just sat down to write some copy for your website that you want finished within the hour and you realize you’re in right brain mode, you may be able to convince your brain to switch.
There have been numerous demonstrations under laboratory conditions where people have been able to switch sides intentionally.
They have achieved this by adopting the rather unscientific method of holding down one nostril and forcing their breathing through the other until it clears. It cannot clear without the vascular constriction clearing and that cannot happen without the same thing happening in your brain.
Now let me be clear, it’s still early days on the research and it’s not completely clear how this works or even if it works for every person every time, but who cares about that? I have no idea how a microwave works, but as long as it warms my food that’s good enough for me.
Try it out now and let me know the results in the comments.
Tim Brownson is a Certified Life Coach and has been unsticking people and helping them reach their true potential since 2005. If you would like to know how he can help you
That’s kind of wild. Will try it. Got nothing to lose, right?
I’ve always wondered about the left brain, right brain thing. Whenever I’ve taken those tests to see which is stronger, mine always turn out exactly even.
No idea what that means.
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That’s cool because not everybody is way over to one side or the other, you just happen to be equally brilliant at both!
I will try this later and report back my findings but I might skew things because I have been told I am a right brain language dominant person. They know this because I hold my pen like a caveman or something like that.
It’s always interesting to me that there are loads of posts on how to be more creative and get in touch with your right brain, whatever but not much help for those of us who would like some help in balancing our checkbook without doodling in the margins and making up numbers and crap.
(yeah, I know I can just reverse the advice but I have this gut feeling that a lot of people just freeze up when it’s time to be creative because they think it’s a BIG! HUGE! THING! and it’s not, really)
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Actually you can’t just reverse it at all! Exercise can help with creativity because of the chemical changes it causes in the brain as well as tying up the conscious mind leaving the unconscious free to dream, but sitting on your arse want help you do your accounts.
Well that’s no good to me then. I guess I should stay out of accounting because people have been arrested for being too creative in that.
Actually though, I do find that if I’m taking better care of myself (exercise, diet, sleep) I am both more creative and better able to focus on linear, detail oriented tasks without letting my mind wander.
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@ Tracy, the “holding a pen like a caveman” thing you’re referring to probably means keeping your wrist hooked instead of straight. Something like 60% of left-handers hook their wrist – not surprising, considering the mechanical difficulties of writing left-handed. But 2-3% of right-handers hook their wrist, and I’m not sure why.
I’ve read from different sources that hooked wrist writers process language with (1) the right hemisphere, as opposed to the usual left, (2) the hemisphere on the same side as their writing hand, and (3) the hemisphere on the opposite side of their writing hand. Since there are three different stories, I tend not to believe any of them!
Wow, that IS interesting! I’ve always been frustrated by that constricted feeling on one side so it’s great there is actually a useful purpose for it. Gives new meaning to the phrase “being led by the nose.”
That would have made a cool title!
So I’ve read this again, and want to be clear about because it is so useful. If my left nostril is stuffy then I want to be doing practical, logical tasks, is that right? And if my left side is the clearer, I want to be doing creative things? Basically whichever side is slightly blocked, that’s the side of the brain you want to use?
Okay, I think I’ve had enough of writing about noses and nostrils now.
Noooo, the other way round!
Glad I asked! :)
Tim-
I find the right-brain, left-brain thing fascinating. Last week during a (soul-numbingly wretched) yoga class, we practiced nostril breathing. Instructor said right nostril represented our male energy, and left, the female.
I noticed my breathing was less labored after this practice, and I felt more energized. My left side was definitely constricted in comparison, though.
Thanks for the reminder to adopt this as a method for enhancing creativity.
Linda
I’m not sure it will enhance creativity per se, in fact I’d go as far as to say it wont, but it will allow you to tap into your inherent creativity when you are most able.
Ow, just submitted a similar comment below. Should’ve read the comments before :)
Jaky Astik recently posted..Keep knocking just that one
Kinda fascinating, now you’ve got me touching my nose in public a whole lot. There’s actually a breathing methodology in yoga designed to shift energy via alternate nostril breathing. I’m wondering about how this all relates. Hmmm, must go activate my left brain for some serious analysis.
Oh well at least you can now pick your noise in the name of scientific research.
It seems like my right nostril is more open. I’ve frequently noticed that we limit ourselves creatively when we try to see things any certain way. A helpful exercise is to clear one’s brain and simply brainstorm whatever comes into one’s mind. The idea is to get rid of preconceptions or limiting thoughts and just write things down. The ideas that come to us will suggest others. Creativity is often about just letting go and listening to our inner voice.
Try in an hour and you’ll find your left one is more open.
Hmmmm…going to dust off my neti pot. Had never considered that allergy-induced congestion could impact brain function!
Lavonne recently posted..How well is beating yourself up working
That’s interesting Lavonne, I wonder if it does? I want to think that one through.
This was the first post of you I’ve read and I really loved it. I’ve made some “tests” to verify what you said, and it really works for me!
Many thanks and keep up with your good work,
João Pedro Pereira
Thanks a lot and welcome!
That’s so cool! Is it true?! Wowzers!
Right now apparently I’m using my creative side. Not much use to me since I’m sitting here writing this whilst my son plays in the bath. But the potential is awesome.
Thanks Tim. I agree with your tweet. One of your best to date. :D
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It would be a good time to dream creative thoughts though, rather than wondering about more linear stuff.
Fascinating stuff, Tim. I’ve always thought of myself as left brained logical type, and my nose is telling me that now too (the right one is clogged). The next time I need to do a good brainstorming session, I’ll try the forced air exercise, turn it into a nose storm, and report back.
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Check you’re not there already before you starting blowing snot everywhere!
Booger Storming!
Lyman Reed recently posted..On Being Authentic
Hi Tim,
Pretty cool stuff. Hope you aren’t tricking us with something from that book you’ve mentioned, that has the often repeated, but totally B.S. “facts”.
Hey… On the other hand, if you are starting a new one, I’m in. Let’s spread it for the next edition of that book. Maybe you’ll get some other big name speakers to repeat it!
Either way, I’ll try it out and see–placebo or true, what’s the harm anyway?!
Take it easy,
Tim
Tim Gary recently posted..Work and Play 1
Tim, Tim, Tim, what I have ever done to promote such cynicism? ;-)
I very much enjoyed this – I am writing about the Element or the Zone for Monday’s post from Dr. Ken Robinson’s book…I am finding it interesting that I very rarely get in the Zone… a wedding I just officiated I was there for about 30 minutes and I can count on my hands the times when I was teaching at a college where I got there…Davina says I must be in the zone when I am cooking…this frustrates me…
and I feel like I had my creativity cut out when I had ovarian cancer….dyscalcula also interfere’s with linear thinking…
I just can not seem to find any thing I am passionate about…
and the flow to my nose is the same on both sides, unless I do have a cold…which is rare…
Guess I just am weird Wonder full too :)
I liked this very much…
Also I keep having to put in my information on you site and several months ago I stopped getting your newsletter…I have to keep dropping by intentionally
Love the drawing
The Element is a great book and I love Sir Ken Robinson. In a manly way of course.
Tough to tell from such a small amount of info, but could it be that you are doing things that you *think* should get you in the zone, rather than do?
Sorry about the problems logging in, I shall pitch that to my brilliant web guy who just happens to be sat on top of at the moment!
Any ideas Tim?
Hey, Tim!
Now, this is interesting. I wonder… fibromyalgia and bipolar disorder both have to do with brain chemistry, and since developing them it’s been so much harder to get into a creative flow. And sometimes I get so into being analytical it’s difficult to bring myself back to basics to do a simple budget. Maybe my chemical imbalances affect one side of my brain more than the other? Or because I’m low on the “feel good” neurotransmitters (seratonin, dopamine, et al) it’s harder to be creative? Hmmm… I just might have to ask the doc on this one.
Thanks, Tim!
Annie
Annie you are way over my head now and I really cannot answer with anything other than an educated guess and it would be unfair of me to do that. Yes I would ask your doc, but remember this stuff is in its infancy and it may be they just don’t know.
This is an interesting way to check to see what side of the brain I am using. Food for thought. Thank you.
You’re welcome
And if neither nostril is clear, take the day off.
Interesting stuff. Sounds a bit absurd, but the truth often is.
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Not as absurd as mittens for koala bears.
Another technique I’ve used Tim,is to squeeze a tennis ball in my left hand for a few minutes before setting to do a task that is creatively driven.
The left hand is controlled by the right brain, therefore this can help stimulate it. Just a little trick that helps me out.
Thanks for the post!
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That makes sense, good idea mate!
WOW! This post has caused to learn something new today!! thanks.
So just to make sure I got you correct – if I am going to be righting a blog post, I should hold down the right side of my noise and if I am going to be doing something creative, I should hold down the side. Is that correct?
The holding the nose down bit is the way of knowing which side of your brain is dominant at the time so you can plan accordingly.
It’s a quick 1 second check and then you know which project it’s better to concentrate on.
Tim – Do I have the sides correct – if right is flowing good, I should do left brain tasks?
Right brain/left brain has always confused me – thanks for the clarification!
Yes, if the right is clear you are probably better suited to more linear tasks.
What an intriguing idea!
I’ve never thought of myself as being predominantly left- or right- brained. (I tend to feel I’m not ordered enough AND not creative enough!) I do find that I’ll have a natural energy towards certain tasks — e.g. sometimes I want to brainstorm, sometimes I want to write.
I’ll give the nose thing a try! ;-)
Ali Hale recently posted..When Overwhelm Hits Hard
Sounds to me like you have the right balance Ali!
Fascinating!! I think this one nostril breathing is also a meditation technique. It certainly does take concentration to undertake the procedure. Thanks for this information.
Sarah, this isn’t a breathing technique at all. You only do it once so you can tell which part of your brain is predominant at that moment.
In Yoga, this thing is a part of ‘Pranayam’. It helps refresh the brain, keeps the lungs healthy and supplies fresh oxygen to the body due to deep breathing. In the scriptures, they’ve proved that Pranayam improve our ability to remember, analyse and and interpret situation. I regularly use it with meditation and to say, it’s life transforming. Regular Pranayams also improve your metabolism.
Jaky Astik recently posted..Keep knocking just that one
See my answer above, it seems I may not have explained myself very well!
This is one of the most interesting posts I’ve read in a long time! Talk about staying in the moment! I’m going to keep a mental log of where my breathing is and then note the tasks I’m doing (or having challenges with). This will be an interesting experiment… thanks for sharing! (FYI… I’m in left-brain mode right now). :)
Thanks Chris, let us know how you get on.
Hi Tim, love this stuff, I am currently writing a book and actually found this post as a result of my research, it was Chris your last contributor to this post who alerted me to it via FB. My book is about seeking knowledge and without doubt you have provided me with a gem today. This has worked great for my concentration and focus. Thanks Tim
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Thanks for the feedback Mark and delighted to be of use!
Thanks Chris.