Do you feel challenged in your problem-solving abilities? Is inspiration hard to find when you have to develop a work plan, write a report, or craft a policy? If it’s time for you to take on more responsibilities or do the work you love in a new place, are you reluctant to take the next step because you dislike writing your resume or cover letter? If you’re noticing a deficit in your ability to be creative, you are not alone. It is an epidemic in our society. Fortunately, there is one simple thing anyone can do in just minutes a day to enhance their creative abilities…spend more time in nature.

The Remote Associates (RAT) Test: One Measure of Creative Thinking

In the 1960s psychologist Sarnoff Mednick developed the first Remote Associates Test (RAT) to measure convergent creative thinking. The RAT test lists a group of words and asks participants to come up with one linking word. For example, the answer to the words: Cottage / Swiss / Cake is Cheese (cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, cheesecake). These words can be associated in multiple ways so creative thought is utilized to come up with the one best word.

Here are some examples of RAT test questions:

Square / Cardboard / Open
Broken / Clear / Eye
Coin / Quick / Spoon
Time / Hair / Stretch
Aid / Rubber / Wagon

(Answers below)

Landmark Study Measuring How Time in Nature Improves Creativity

Equipped with a tool to measure creativity, researchers conducted a study to determine if there was a connection between exposure to nature and creativity. Outward Bound program students were divided into two groups: 28 took the RAT test before a four-day wilderness hiking excursion and 28 took the RAT test after a four-day trek. Researchers were astounded by the results. Participants who took the test after four days of hiking showed a 50% improvement in their creativity scores. Researchers concluded that “there is a real, measurable cognitive advantage to be realized if we spend time truly immersed in a natural setting. The current work demonstrates that higher-order cognitive skills improve with sustained exposure to a natural environment.”

A researcher on the Outward Bound study, Ruth Ann Atchley notes in a Psychology Today interview, that people are interrupted daily by mental distractions and interpersonal challenges. Atchley states that these, “Sap our resources to do the fun thinking and cognition humans are capable of—things like creativity, or being kind and generous, along with our ability to feel good and be in a positive mood. Nature is a place where our mind can rest, relax, and let down those threat responses. Therefore, we have resources left over—to be creative, to be imaginative, to problem solve—that allow us to be better, happier people who engage in a more productive way with others.”

RAT tests are one way to understand how people use convergent thinking skills to solve problems. However, as with all psychological tests, there are limits. Scoring poorly does not mean that we have no creative skills and talents, or that those skills cannot be developed. The Outward Bound study seems to indicate that spending time in nature does improve creative performance. So how to spend more time in nature?

Tips That Will Help You Spend More Time in Nature

We know spending time in nature is good for us. How do we go about incorporating more time in nature into our already busy lives? Below are some ideas.

Schedule outdoor meetings. Everyone benefits from a change of venue from time to time. Try scheduling your next weekly staff meeting outdoors. Reserve a park bench or picnic shelter. If your meeting is close to lunch, invite staff to bring along a brown bag, a dish to share, or have lunch delivered. Explain to staff why you are meeting outdoors and encourage them to incorporate more nature breaks into their day. Notice if this practice increases problem-solving and creative abilities in staff.

Take nature breaks when working from home. Although working from home has its advantages, it may also be robbing us of time we might have spent outdoors, walking, cycling, driving, or taking public transit to work, taking outdoor lunch breaks with colleagues, and visiting public buildings, parks, and open spaces. If your home environment allows it, place your desk near a window, and/or add plants to your workspace. Gaze outside, care for your plants, or take a walk around your neighborhood to recharge your creative batteries.

Take your vacation time. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars or travel to faraway lands (though you may if you wish)! Reserve a campsite and pack your tent in the family van. If you don’t feel like roughing it, make hotel reservations. Wherever you go, plan hikes, bike rides, canoe trips, or whatever you prefer. Discover and enjoy the world beyond the sidewalk’s end.

Visit indoor natural spaces. Are there certain times of the year you would rather not be outside (when it’s too hot, cold, windy, rainy, etc.)? There are many places one can experience the natural world that offer protection from the elements: aquariums, aviaries, zoos, botanical gardens, greenhouses, and nurseries. If all else fails, watch television programs such as Nature or Planet Earth. According to scientists at the University of Exeter “watching nature shows can have a positive effect on our emotions and decrease anxiety levels.”

Step outside at night. If it’s difficult to find time for more nature in your daily life, make it a point to step outside for a few minutes each night. Watch the sunset. View the planets and stars as they emerge in the evening sky. Listen to the call of nightingales, and crickets, inhale the wonderful scent of night-blooming flowers and feel the cool caress of an evening breeze.

Does spending time in nature help you increase your creativity and problem-solving abilities? We’d love to hear how you incorporate more outdoor time into your work and personal life. Please email us at info@mynpsj.com.

Answers: Box, Glass, Silver, Long, Band