Breaking a routine can seem like an unwanted disruption to daily habits, but it’s actually a contributor to the creativity we exhibit on a daily basis.
A study published April 2016 by a group of researchers from the Oxford Academic Cerebral Cortex journal states that human creativity stems from the part of the brain called the frontopolar cortex. It manifests in different ways for each person–people with more experience in a certain skill set process creativity differently than those who have less experience. But although brain functions may vary, a universal roadblock for humans when it comes to thinking up original ideas is a simple creative rut.
A lack of inspiration can be hard–it often increases procrastination and decreases enjoyment in everyday activities. The question of how to get out of a rut like this is something people have asked over and over for years. But the solution might be more simple than it seems: that’s where the idea of “creative disruption” comes in. It’s been proven by a group of Stanford scientists in Nov. 2024 that simply breaking routine improves the human ability to think creatively–whether it’s simply changing locations at mealtimes, eating different foods than usual, or something else entirely, finding variety in a repetitive schedule can be beneficial.
To put this to the test, I chose four small habits that I repeated daily and performed them as usual. The following day, I changed those habits, and compared my creativity levels from one day to the next.
On day one, I ate my usual breakfast: a toasted bagel with Nutella. During my classes, I took notes in the same beat-up notebook I usually write in for all my classes, worn from overuse. After getting home, I took a break from schoolwork to look at my phone and read my book. When it finally came time for homework after dinner, I sat under the covers of my bed to work.
I found that when that time rolled around, I felt a lack of motivation to get started. I often get tired of doing the same thing over and over, so it made sense that I was beginning to get tired of the same routine–and I had been for a few days. I felt less inspired than I usually did, especially when it came to creative subjects like writing and making art.
That’s not to say I wasn’t completely unmotivated, however–I went downstairs to play some music later that evening and even managed to start an assignment I’d been stuck on for the last few days. But the amount of work that I actually did didn’t make me feel very productive, and I hadn’t done much creative thinking all day. I felt stuck like I had a bad case of writer’s block.
On day two, I had cereal instead of a bagel for breakfast. I was skeptical that cereal would suddenly imbue me with loads of new ideas, but it was something to start with, at least. And I may have been right about the cereal: I’m not sure that it specifically was what got my creative juices flowing, but as I went about the rest of the day and continued to make changes, I found a little more motivation than I had had previously.
The second change I made on day two was to use a new notebook. It wasn’t brand new, and it had some pages already filled up, but something about it felt like a fresh start. I found, as I usually do with those kinds of fresh starts, that my handwriting was neater and my notes were formatted nicely.
When I got home from school, I sat down at my desk to start work on my homework. Being in a space that was cleaner and felt more professional gave me the energy to work more productively, and I was satisfied when I finished each assignment. It was a nice change from a routine that had started to drag on.
Later in the evening, I again went downstairs to practice my music, which was also somewhat of a break in routine. This time, instead of only playing arpeggios or scales, I decided to teach myself a few songs I liked to listen to for fun in addition.
By the time I went to bed, I felt like I’d had a much more successful day than the previous one. I’d been more productive, more creative, and more motivated altogether.
The breaking of routine may not be a technique that works for everyone. Some people find joy in routine, and many strongly dislike breaking it. But for those who aren’t opposed, it’s proved a helpful way to break out of a creative rut.
Creativity is beneficial for humans: none of the media we enjoy today would exist without it–not to mention feeling stuck creatively can tank inspiration, happiness and productivity. Finding ways to stay creative is important for not only oneself but the rest of the community.