10 practical pieces of advice for reversing the decline in scientific disruption

https://pacheco-torgal.blogspot.com/2019/10/are-asian-employees-truly-less-creative.html

Building upon the preceding post (accessible through the link above) titled "The creativity of Asian employees and the quest for immortality through "creative achievements in art or science" and drawing attention to the June 2022 post where I delved into an article featured in The Economist, exploring the intriguing realm of employers who advocate for the utilization of psychedelic drugs for heightened creativity https://19-pacheco-torgal-19.blogspot.com/2022/06/os-patroes-que-aconselham-os-empregados.html  and referencing a substantial study conducted in January 2023, based on 45 million articles and 3.9 million patents, which suggests that Science is experiencing a decline in disruptive innovation https://19-pacheco-torgal-19.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-study-based-on-45-million-papers-and.html 

I encourage you to delve into a recent article that further explores transformative moments in creative thinking. Referencing historical figures such as Archimedes and Isaac Newton, the article underscores the significance of disrupting the default network through sensory experiences to foster unique insights and perspectives. Additionally, the text underscores the salience network as a crucial mechanism that reallocates neural resources in response to unexpected stimuli, thereby contributing to the creative thinking process. https://bigthink.com/business/how-isaac-newton-and-the-salience-network-can-unleash-your-creativity/ 

In this context, it's noteworthy to recall a paper led by a Harvard researcher (and a team of ten researchers from various universities) that identified a correlation between heightened creativity and individuals' ability to engage brain networks that typically function independently. Describing the creative brain as uniquely wired, the study highlighted the simultaneous activation of networks associated with memory, mental simulation (default mode network), detection of important information (salience network), and the maintenance of focus on useful ideas (executive control network). https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1713532115

When asked about practical advice to unlock creative thinking potential, ChaGPT provided 10 insightful recommendations, outlined below:

ChatGPT: Individuals can harness the capacity for creative thinking by actively engaging with their sensory experiences and intentionally disrupting their default mode network. Here are some practical ways to do so:

1. Take Sensory Breaks: Give yourself moments to disconnect from routine thinking and engage in sensory experiences. A change in environment or a sensory break can stimulate creative insights.

2. Create Contemplative Spaces: Newton's breakthrough occurred in a contemplative mood under an apple tree. Designate spaces or times for contemplation and self-reflection to allow your mind to wander freely without the pressure of routine thinking.

3. Challenge Familiar Perspectives: Recognize when you're stuck in routine and challenge familiar perspectives. Actively seek moments to step away from customary thought processes to foster new insights and ways of looking at things.

4. Embrace Unplanned Leisure: Newton's unplanned leisure during the plague outbreak led to his groundbreaking ideas. Embrace unplanned leisure and downtime; sometimes, the most creative thoughts emerge when you least expect them.

5. Disrupt Default Mode Network (DMN): Understand the role of the DMN and actively disrupt it to allow for new representations and ideas. Seek activities or experiences that shake up habitual patterns and encourage new perspectives.

6. Acknowledge Salience Network's Role: Acknowledge the role of the salience network in redirecting attention to unexpected and salient information. Embrace moments of unpredictability and use them as cues to explore new possibilities.

7. Leverage Cognitive Alarms: Like the salience network's alarm bell, pay attention to cognitive alarms that signal a deviation from the expected. Use these moments to either tweak existing plans through active inference or completely disrupt routines for perceptual inference.

8. Engage Senses for Cognitive Ejector Seat: Think of sensation as your built-in DMN ejector seat. Actively engage your senses to interrupt habitual thought processes, allowing for a shift in preferences and a radical change in perspective.

9. Learn from Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): Recognize the importance of the salience network in mediating the relationship between habits and the world. Learn from FTD research that emphasizes the role of the salience network in allowing new knowledge to disrupt habits and impulses.

10. Embrace Radical Shifts: Break free from conventional perspectives and habits. Embrace the idea that a radical shift in your script, rather than small changes, can lead to greater creativity, fulfillment, and a more satisfying life.