Gary Robbins from the Orange County Register shares techniques and rituals that scientists, engineers, and mathematicians from UC Irvine use to come up with new ideas and solve academic problems:

Alex Haley, author of the landmark “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” once said that he would shower 10 times a day when he was struggling with his writing. He believed that the feel of water on his face helped him work out problems and come up with new ideas.

We got to thinking about that story and it led us to ask dozens of UC Irvine scientists, engineers and mathematicians if they have their own rituals or techniques for working out academic problems and coming up with fresh approaches.

These are some of the more interesting techniques discussed in the article:

• Working out a difficult problem in your head while on a long driving trip
• Using 50 minute blocks of concentrated thinking with 10 minute breaks in between
• Sex, because it helps clear the mind. I can just imagine how that conversation goes… “Honey, I’ve got a really tough problem to solve, want to help?”
• Sitting in a hot tub or Jacuzzi
• Getting busy with some routine work, like cooking or shaving in the morning
• Taking a drive without going anywhere in particular

 You can read the entire article here.