get better at incubating
the uk wide lockdown has gifted me with time to read. No rehearsal studios. No recording studios. Not even my home-studio (a mini flood put pay to that!)
So yeah, reading. Reading so many head-spinning theories about creativity. How to break the process into stages. There’s a lot of buzzwords in that mass of text & the gorram honest truth is I can’t stand buzzwords. I find them a placeholder for genuine expression & connection at best.
But the most mysterious of these buzzing stages is ‘incubation.’
The popular armchair psychology goes like this - creative thinking starts when you identify an issue & prepare to tackle it. Next, you hit an impasse & decide to take a break. Then, the answer comes to you while you’re taking a shower or getting up from a nap.
And in that productive rest period before the eureka moment you have achieved incubation.
The guiding principles for effective incubating go like this:
Prepare carefully. The time to do your research & engage in critical thought. Figure out the challenge you want to solve & state it precisely. Here you’re supposed to be clear & concise.
Plan ahead. Incubation is supposedly more effective when you remind yourself that you’ll be returning to your dilemma later. An aggressive optimist like myself might look forward to coming back feeling refreshed & full of new answers.
Slow down. Time to come to a gradual stop rather than slamming on the brakes. Allow your body & mind to quiet down. Take a few deep breaths. Relax your neck & shoulders. I’ve never been more grateful for meditation.
Choose non-demanding activities. This lil break is not supposed to be the time to start studying quantum probability fields or learning to bake(?) cook(?) the perfect souffle. Devote your time to routine tasks that require little thought. We’re talking brain dead bebee… may i humbly suggest Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga.
Let your mind wander. Relax & let your thoughts flow. Free yourself from any expectations & see what happens… maaaaaaaaan.
Play. Dicking about stimulates your imagination. Lighten up & have a good laugh.
Keep it brief. You may find that the results you want are already close at hand. Short breaks often work better than taking a whole day off. (*cough cough* stop looking at me - i’m not that lazy!) Realistically, half an hour oughta do it.
Appreciate the value of sleep. REM sleep unleashes creativity in amazing ways. When you dream, you form associations & consolidate memories. You’re able to see things differently & spot new opportunities. The majority of my designs come from that sweet spot right as you doze off! I keep a journal by my bed for night-time/early morning scribblings. Take naps when you can - I’m a napvocate. Oh, and meditate every day. meditation & sleep have similar effects on the brain, apparently! I just like to actively do as little as possible.
The thing about incubation though, is there isn’t really a set time frame. for example, I used to blog a LOT, after a greatly extended period of incubation (otherwise known as the non-buzzword living!) I’m back! I feel like a 24 months rollercoaster of fuvkery has put me in a much better mindset. As new-agefied as it sounds, those steps above have actually been how I navigated the last few years. I didn’t know it at the time - I was just out there causing trouble. But hell yeah, I get it - I get it now.
p.s. Buzzwords still suck.