Oasis of Quiet
#creativity
John Cleese suggests that creativity requires an "oasis of quiet"—a protected space where your mind can wander free from everyday pressures. Set clear boundaries: a comfortable location and a dedicated time period (ideally 90 minutes). "At first, your thoughts will race," he notes, "but sit with that anxiety." Eventually, the mind quiets down.
Computer scientist Richard Hamming practiced this discipline for years, reserving Friday afternoons solely for "great thoughts" about the future of computing and science. "I found it was well worth 10% of my time," Hamming reflected, "to do this careful examination of where computing was heading so I would know where we were going." This regular practice prevented him from becoming "the drunken sailor staggering around and canceling many steps by random other steps." Instead of staying "immersed in the sea of detail where almost everyone stays almost all of the time," create your own thinking oasis to see the bigger picture and direct your efforts toward what truly matters.