Brain Strain? Steve Jobs’ Go-To Still Works
What did Steve Jobs do when his brain was challenged for more than 10 minutes?
Steve Jobs had a “10-minute rule” and he stuck by it, according to his biographer Walter Isaacson. In a recent Inc. article, writer Jessica Stillman lets us in on Jobs’ approach to getting the doldrums, the dust, the disarray in his brain sorted — he got up from his desk and went for a walk. Often barefoot, Jobs was known for stirring around to achieve productivity and results.
In the article, “Steve Jobs Swore the 10-Minute Rule Made Him Smarter. Modern Neuroscience Is Discovering He Was Right,” Stillman instructs us, “Jobs’s constant roaming wasn’t just about a love of the outdoors or physical exercise. The late Apple boss intuited something that neuroscience is now proving — walking makes your brain work a little bit better, helping you crack problems that stumped you while sitting.
She adds, “That’s why at least one modern neuroscientist recommends we all make like Jobs and follow the 10-minute rule: If you haven’t solved a tough mental problem after 10 minutes of trying, stand up and go for a walk.”
I can vouch for this concept and practice, particularly since taking up some “brain games.” If you do Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, or any thought-provoking games, you have indubitably learned the value of stepping away when you think all is lost, then coming back to find that somehow you picked up solutions while doing something completely unrelated.
It’s an amazing process to let go of the mental struggle, rise to new scenery, move around in a semi-focused state on things immediately around you and get exercise at the same time. And come back to kill those brain games!
Anyone who works solving problems — hello, TapRooT® Users and professionals! — can take advantage of this practice of giving yourself a break to get a clear head, another perspective, or an unexpected burst of perception. Of course, not everyone can wander away from work spontaneously but perhaps you can be a voice at work for bringing this neuroscience fix into your daily problem-solving behavior.
Content source credit: Inc., Steve Jobs Swore the 10-Minute Rule Made Him Smarter. Modern Neuroscience Is Discovering He Was Right, Jessica Stillman, published September 26, 2024.
