"Eureka!" Moments More Likely at Night Study Finds

Most of us have encountered that period in our work day where all inspiration has simple vanished. A problem that, at the beginning of the day, seemed simple enough to be put off until later, has become insurmountable. But according to new research, it would be better to go home in the early afternoon than to stick around and try and force the brain to deliver a “Eureka” moment.

Research commissioned by Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts has found that 10.04pm is the best time of day for our creative minds to kick in. According to the data of 1,426 adults polled, 25% preferred to stay up and “burn the midnight oil,” while at the same time realizing that 10.04pm, thereabouts, was the time when they felt the most creative.

The research also found that 4.33pm, presumable an average time garnered from the surveyed, was the period of the day when people felt the least inspired. A total of 92% of people found that they felt uninspired in the afternoons; another nail in the coffin for the stereotypical 9-5 working day.

But the survey went beyond finding out just how uninspired we felt in the afternoon. Crowne Plaza, who has recently hired Stefan Sagmeister, an award winning Austrian graphic designer, to create inspirational rooms for their hotels, expanded the survey further.

A total of 58% respondents found that, even when they did have a good idea, they would often forget to write it down and lose it forever. However when they did write it down, four out of five found that they would never lose the idea.

Women were found to be the most likely to take down a note, with 37% of them choosing to find a tissue or a napkin to hastily write down their brilliance. The tissue and napkin beat out the back of receipts, the back of the hand or cigarette packages as the greatest on-the-go notepad.

Another interesting note, that seems perfectly likely in hindsight, is that nearly a third of those over the age of 35 still jot down notes somewhere. By 35, they have probably realized that their memory wasn’t as good as it once was, and don’t want to miss out on the peak of the creative moments.

Posted by Josh Hill.

http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=25676&t=1&c=62&cg=4&mset=
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1078881/Eureka-If-need-brainwave-set-clock-10-04pm-say-scientists.html

Comments

[ar-lock]

"A total of 92% of people found that they felt uninspired in the afternoons"

a survey?

surveys are pointless, we say and do different things.

you need to "observe" humans to discover.

this is bunk

[jer35mx]

Holy Mole¡. They say I am dumb as a dunkey, but it's because I go to sleep so early, and awake so early.

[claudio]

I tend to agree with'ar-lock'.
Good statistics about 'feelings' .
Does this implies that those that 'feel inspired' at certain time of the day are more capable in reality to solve problems ??
Their brain internal connections are better ?? Wider ??
And then what does it means 'inspired' : 'creativity' or just 'problem solving' ??

Eureka : an ancient greek word seems to imply 'problem solving'
Normally at 10,40 pm there is not much 'oil' (sugar I suggest) to burn for creativity or problem solving...I disagree even with the results of the statistics...if it has a meaning at all.
Sorry for Crown Plaza.