Ever feel like you’ve hit a creative wall, just sitting there waiting for inspiration that never shows up? Maybe, like me, you’ve realized that creativity doesn’t like to be boxed in – it loves movement, fresh air, and a change of scenery. For me, morning walks have become this little ritual – a way to start the day, clear my head, and, surprisingly often, find solutions to things I didn’t even know I was wrestling with. It turns out, I’m not the only one who feels this way. Scientists have actually studied this and found that walking can really unlock creativity.
So here’s what the science says: Walking, even just a casual stroll, does more than get your blood flowing – it’s got real power to spark new ideas. Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz from Stanford University put this to the test with four experiments that show just how big of an effect a little movement can have on creative thinking.
First, Let’s Talk About Experiment One
The researchers kicked things off by asking a group of people to take a creative test, the Guilford’s Alternate Uses (GAU) test, which just thinking of all the possible ways to use an everyday object. The goal was to see if sitting or walking on a treadmill would affect how many ideas people could come up with.
The result? People who walked on the treadmill came up with nearly double the ideas compared to when they were sitting. It wasn’t just that people talked more when they walked. They were more creative, too, because their ideas were more unique. Walking helped 81% of the participants get those creative juices flowing. Even afterward, when they sat down, the creativity boost stuck around for a while.
It kind of reminds me of Linus Torvalds. He’s known for using a treadmill desk while working. For him, it’s not just about staying healthy – he finds that the gentle movement keeps his mind active. He’s not grinding out a sweat like he’s training for a marathon, but just that small motion helps keep ideas moving. The rhythm and freedom of walking seem to do something magical for creativity.
Experiment Two: The Sit-Walk-Sit Combo
In the second experiment, they wanted to dig deeper. People completed the creativity test, but this time, they were either sitting the whole time, sitting and then walking, or walking first and then sitting. And, guess what? Walking first, then sitting, still gave participants a creativity boost. It wasn’t just a treadmill thing – it was the act of walking that seemed to open up their minds, even after they stopped moving. The participants who stayed seated the entire time had the lowest scores. So, this isn’t a one-time “only on the treadmill” phenomenon – it’s something about the whole experience of walking that sticks with you, almost like a residual burst of mental energy.
This experiment reminds me of Steve Jobs. Walter Isaacson’s biography on him is full of stories of Jobs taking long walks when he needed to make big decisions. When he was wrestling with complex choices or trying to sort out a big idea, he’d often call up a friend or colleague and ask them to go for a walk. The open space, the quiet rhythm of footsteps, maybe the simple fact of leaving the typical work environment behind – it all seems to encourage new ideas and clearer thinking.
Experiment Three: Taking It Outside
Now, what happens when you take that treadmill walk outdoors? In the third experiment, people went for walks outside on a campus and … the creativity levels went up even more (surprise!). Walking through a busy outdoor area gave participants more creative responses than those who sat indoors. The outside walk didn’t just keep their creativity going – it actually helped people come up with even more novel ideas, as if the change of scenery fueled something extra.
This made me think about how often I’ve found my best ideas coming not when I’m in front of a computer but when I’m out for a walk around the neighborhood or at a local park. Sometimes all it takes is a break from the same four walls to help the mind relax and explore new possibilities. And it’s just nice to get outside – there’s no substitute for a little sunlight and fresh air.
Experiment Four: Is It the Walk or the Environment?
To test if it’s the physical act of walking or just being outside, they did something pretty clever. They had one group walking outside and another group being rolled in a wheelchair outside. So, they were both getting the fresh air and new scenery, but only one group was moving under their own power.
And guess what? The people who walked created more unique, high-quality ideas. It was the movement itself that made the difference. Moving your legs, the act of physically walking, seems to activate something in our brains that helps us connect the dots in new and interesting ways.
What I love about this is that it’s such a simple, no-nonsense solution. The idea that just taking a walk could help solve a problem or spark a new idea feels almost too easy, but the results don’t lie. Walking helps our brains come up with better ideas, no complex equipment required.
So, Why Not Try It?
For those of us looking to keep our minds sharp and our ideas fresh, why not make walking part of our routine? It doesn’t have to be complicated or long. In fact, I like to start my day with a quick morning walk – it’s just a few minutes, but it wakes me up and helps clear out any mental cobwebs.
If you’re feeling stuck, go for a walk. Take your phone with you, record any ideas that pop into your head, and just enjoy being outside. You don’t have to wait for the next big decision to take a walk. Sometimes the best ideas come from simply moving.
And BTW, the idea for this article? Yep, it came to me on one of those walks.