When was the last time you actually gave your brain permission to do nothing?
Recently, the members of local networking group The Independent Board ditched their usual boardroom setups for some fresh air, starting off their session with a brisk walk. Stepping away from the screens and just getting moving laid the groundwork for a surprisingly honest yarn about running a business. And more importantly, how we cope with the mental clutter that comes with it.
As business owners, our default gear is almost always locked in “fight or flight.” It’s a non-stop loop of tight deadlines, relentless emails, and reactive decisions. But everyone in the room agreed on one thing: great ideas rarely show up when your frontal cortex is jammed full. If you want to tap into real creativity, you’ve got to shift your mind into neutral first.
The group kicked around a few ways they like to quiet the noise:
• Deliberate Reset Tools: Deep breathing, physical movement, or a bit of active meditation to let your nervous system know it’s safe to drop its guard.
• Mindless Monotony: Low-stakes tasks like mowing the lawn. Keeping your hands busy leaves your mind free to just float around.
• The Post-Sleep Sweet Spot: Making the most of those quiet minutes after waking up, before the day’s chaos sets in.
We also talked environment. We all know surrounding ourselves with nature’s green helps rest our eyes and calm the brain. But what about pink?
Turns out, soft pink is an absolute gem for taking the edge off. Studies on gentle pink tones (like Baker-Miller Pink) show they can actually slow your heart rate, lower physical tension, and ease stress responses. Where green connects us to nature to recharge, soft pink gives off a calm, cozy warmth that settles the nerves. Both work wonders for setting up a proper creative space.
At the end of the day, catching a creative spark isn’t about forcing big ideas. It’s just about clearing out the mental junk so our minds have room to breathe, well… think. So get outside, go for a stroll, or watch a pink sunrise. Your next lightbulb moment might be waiting in the quiet.
(Excerpt from a session between members of the Independent Board Facilitated by Tim Hansen, Harcourts.)