How we feel mentally, our mood in other words, is hugely important in terms of how we perform and think at work. As a result, it also has a strong impact on creative and innovative thinking and this is something companies should be aware of when they sign up to an idea management software service. In fact, this is something that has been extensively researched, and companies should take note of this research if they are to get the most out of their creative workforce.
The University of Chicago completed a study in which participants were asked to recall the happiest moment of their life. After they had thought about that for a while, they were then asked to complete something creative. A control group was asked to simply complete the research without thinking of any specific moment in their time. A third group was asked to consider their life’s saddest day before performing the task. As is probably to be expected, the third group performed the worst out of the three. What was less expected, however, was just how much more creative those who thought of their happiest moment would be.
What this suggests is that it is vital that you “think happy thoughts” before doing anything. In fact, managers are now encouraged to tell their staff to think about a particularly happy moment for a few minutes before any meetings are held. In so doing, they are far more likely to come up with innovative, unique, and creative out of the box ideas.
Drinking, Dating, and Mating
Some people feel a bit awkward thinking about their happiest moment. Other times, thinking back to a happy time isn’t appropriate. If, for instance, someone has just gone through a bereavement, the last thing they are likely to want to do, is think back to a time during which their loved one was still alive, and perhaps even present. Luckily, thinking happy thoughts can also be done more creatively. One such way is by providing them with some random piece of information every once in while, one that tickles them and makes them laugh.
Consider, for instance, the issue of drinking, dating, and mating. Did you know, for instance, that men who have facial scars are particularly attractive to women who want a short-term fling, rather than a long-lasting romance? This was uncovered in a study completed by the University of Liverpool. Meanwhile, it has also been found that if someone listens to loud music, they will drown their glass of beer much quicker, three times as quickly, in fact. An innovative idea to spend less when on a night out, therefore, is to go to a quiet bar!
Everybody has happy moments, and they are also very easy to create. Simply having a little joke and a laugh greatly increases people’s creative juices. This is one of the reasons why ice breakers are so popular in large and small meetings alike, but particularly in workshops where people have to come up with their own ideas.