The Scientific Reason That Rest Can Increase Innovation

Have you ever struggled with a problem and been unable to come up with a solution, then hours or even days later, the solution came to you like a light bulb? Maybe you were in the middle of a completely unrelated activity, like driving your commute, walking, or exercising. You weren’t consciously thinking about the problem, but your brain came up with a solution anyway.

Often, this is how innovation happens. The solution isn’t obvious right away (if it was, it wouldn’t be innovative). Then something clicks, and the pieces start to fall into place.

The key factor is time. You need time to think about the problem, conduct research, and run experiments. Time is important for another reason too: rest. 

Rest can be crucial to innovation, not only because exhausted innovators come up with tired ideas, but because rest fundamentally alters the way our brains work. Let’s first look at the science behind why rest is so important, and then we’ll discuss a few ways to incorporate meaningful rest to improve your innovation.

The Magic of the Default Mode Network

In the words of our co-founder, Mike Rainone, “You cannot ‘grunt' your way to innovation, no more than you can grunt your way to bowel regularity.” Innovation is not something you can force. Instead of beating your head against the wall and hoping that the wall eventually falls, it can be far more effective to rest. When you step back, you may suddenly discover there’s a crack in the wall, and with a lever, you can easily bring the whole thing crumbling down. Essentially, taking a break can lead to a breakthrough.

There’s a good reason for this. When we are at rest, our brains don’t shut off. Rather, a different type of brain activity—our default mode network—switches on. Studies with fMRI and PET scans have shown that when we stop concentrating on external tasks and shift to inward-focused thinking or allow our minds to wander, different brain areas become active.

As Alex Soojung-Kim Pang lays out in his book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, by examining an individual’s default mode network, you can often predict a lot about them. Studies have shown correlations between the default mode network and cognitive abilities (like performance on fluid intelligence tests and language abilities) as well as levels of creativity and focus. The default mode network has also been linked to memories of the past and imaginings of the future. All of these abilities play a role in innovation, in which we must draw from a wide base of knowledge, make connections between different ideas, and envision new, better solutions to the world’s problems.

The default mode network is a relatively new idea in neuroscience, and not all scientists agree on its role. Some even argue against its existence. Research into the default mode network is ongoing, and there is much we still do not understand about our brains. However, the science that does exist is compelling, and we find it hard to deny that (1) our brains remain at work even while at rest and (2) the type of work they do is different from when we are actively focused on a task.

The point? Our resting brains are more active than we think, and also a lot more important than we may think, especially in innovation.

Make the Most of Rest

Not all rest is created equal. The rest that benefits innovation is not the rest you get when you sit on the couch after a long day and watch TV or scroll your phone. You might be “zoned out,” but you’re still giving your brain a task to focus on. 

Rather, the goal is to rest in a way that allows your mind to recharge and/or wander, as these are the activities that lead to breakthroughs. For example, exercise, hobbies, and even commutes can be great opportunities to rest. 

At PCDworks, our favorite method of rest is one of the simplest but also most effective: walking. We have several nature trails that wind through our eighty-acre campus. When participants get stuck in a brainstorming session, we sometimes suggest a break in which they are free to explore these trails. Often, that simple act of resting and walking gets the innovative thinking flowing again. 

If you’ve been trying to grunt your way to innovation without progress, consider giving rest a try. It may be just what you need to inspire a new thought or to land on a critical connection between ideas. And if you’re interested in a fully immersive innovation experience that incorporates both rest and uninterrupted deep thinking in order to fast-track the innovation process, reach out to us at hello@pcdworks.com.

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