For years now I’ve been using short walks to break the mental logjam known as writer’s block. Little did I know there is a lot science out there affirming a connection between walking and improved brain activity. A few weeks back I was perusing visualthesaurus.com and came across a blog post about this very topic entitled “Why Writers Should Walk More”. (Quick side note – if you’re a writer and don’t have a subscription to visualthesaurus.com, get one. The nominal fee of $20/year grants you access to all kinds of creative-food-for-thought. Plus, it’s the only way you’ll get to read the blog I’m referring to.)
Much of the research cited in the blog came from this paper published by Stanford University in 2014. The paper is a bit on the ponderous side but if it’s hard data you want, hard data you will get. May I suggest taking a walk while you read it to aid digestion.
One other finding worthy of note was that where you walked seemed to make a difference as well. Both the Stanford study and another from the University of South Carolina indicate a walk through the woods will do you better than a walk around town. Either one is beneficial but strolling through nature was found to have the edge when it came to promoting novel or creative thought.
So, when you get stuck, try getting up and walking it off. If anyone asks why you’re away from your desk, look them square in the eye and say, “Science!”