You’ve probably had some of your most brilliant ideas in the shower.
So why is it so hard to spark that same creativity at work?
“We’re paid to have our best ideas at work, but we never do, do we?” says Duncan Wardle, former head of innovation and creativity at The Walt Disney Company. Now the founder of creative consulting firm ID8, Wardle recently spoke with CNBC Make It at WOBI’s World Business Forum in New York City about why workplace creativity stalls—and how to fix it.
Between constant emails, back-to-back meetings, and tight deadlines, most people don’t have the time or headspace to think creatively during the workday. “Many just don’t have time to think,” Wardle explains. And when your brain slips into routine mode, innovation takes a back seat.
A 60-Second Reset for Creative Thinking
Wardle’s solution is surprisingly simple: use “energizers”—quick, one-minute exercises designed solely to make people laugh.
“The moment I hear laughter, I’ve opened the door between your conscious and subconscious brain,” he says. “I’ve placed you back in the shower where you have your best ideas.”
Think of it as a mental reset, a way to snap out of autopilot and reconnect with your imaginative side.
Play Like a Kid Again
“When you ask people who the most creative people they’ve met are, they say kids,” Wardle notes. “What do kids do that we don’t? They play.”
An energizer can be playful, silly, or even downright absurd. The more ridiculous, the better. You could play a quick round of rock-paper-scissors—or go bigger.
Wardle suggests pretending you’re “the world’s leading designer of parachutes for elephants,” then having coworkers interview you about the job. Next, someone else might take on an equally bizarre role, such as the top salesperson of invisible wallpaper.
Another option: borrow from improv with a “Once upon a time” exercise, where one person starts a story with a single sentence, and each person adds the next line. It’s fast, fun, and disarms the part of your brain that’s stuck in work mode.
Bring Playfulness Into Your Meetings
You don’t need to turn your whole office into an improv theater—just spend a minute or two at the start of a meeting using an energizer. Wardle says the shift in mood and mindset often leads to fresher ideas and more open collaboration.
“I don’t expect people to be playful every minute of every day,” he says. “I do expect people to be playful when they’re trying to develop new ideas.”
A little laughter may just be the secret to unlocking your next breakthrough.