Has it ever happened to you?
You’re standing under that steady stream of water, a foamy wad of shampoo in your hair, when suddenly, it strikes you: The most profound thought you’ve ever had in your life, probably.
Well, it’s happened to Jeffrey Kluger, editor-at-large at TIME. He joined WTOP Friday to discuss his latest article, “Why You Get Your Best Ideas in the Shower,” and share some insight into why some of us get a little more brilliant when we bathe.
Listen to the full interview below or read the transcript. The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Nick Iannelli: When does inspiration strike you? Many get their best ideas when they go into the shower. So, what is it about that environment that gives you a “Eureka” moment?
Anne Kramer: Well, joining us live is Jeffrey Kluger, editor-at-large at TIME. Jeffrey, thank you so much for joining us and talk a little bit more about all of this. But right off the top, I want to know: Were you in the shower when you had the idea to actually look into whether this was going on?
Jeffrey Kluger: I can’t say I was in the shower when I had that idea. I was reading a news release, and I sent it to my editor straightaway. And she liked the idea. But I’ve come up with plenty of ideas in the shower, and have leapt out and scribbled down notes that later ran because I was writing them in felt-tip pen and dripping on the page.
Nick Iannelli: So what is it about the psychology when you’re in the shower? What is it about the environment that gives you inspiration to come up with ideas and be creative?
Jeffrey Kluger: Well, one of the things that the researchers I talked to pointed out is that it’s sort of a balance between being engaged — you are on task, you’re washing, you’re shampooing and you’re shaving, so you’re doing something purposeful — but it’s a sort of mindless, purposeful activity. And it’s that balance between activity and inactivity that one of the researchers I talked to called “unconstrained attentional thinking.” He said that was a big part of it. Another researcher I spoke to said one of the things about the shower is that your landscape is constrained. You can’t see more than a few feet in front of your face. Your soundscape is constrained — there’s all kinds of white noise. And there’s no temperature difference between your body and the water striking you so you’re not too hot, you’re not too cold. And all of that allows your mind to wander free.
Anne Kramer: Jeffery, some of us get in the shower and try to imagine an oasis of kinds and try to relax and not have any thoughts. Are we all the bad people then if everybody else is coming up with these great inventions and great ideas?
Jeffrey Kluger: Absolutely not. And in fact, one of the things that my reporting turned up is that the best way to turn on your thoughts are to try to turn off your thoughts. Don’t go into a shower or any other situation in which you feel that you’re looking for a brainstorm, thinking that you have to come up with something. Free association becomes a lot less free when you have an agenda. So go into the shower, enjoy your oasis and if inspiration strikes, that’s terrific. If it doesn’t, well, you’ve gotten clean and you’ve relaxed.
Nick Iannelli: Jeffrey, thank you so much for your time today.
Jeffrey Kluger: Thank you so much for having me.
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