When is the Best Time to Be Creative? [Infographic]

When is the best time to be creative? It may surprise you that the time to think and write new content comes at times that would seem counterproductive to creativity.

The Quick Sprout infographic below will go into more detail about what this means and will give you some insight on why writing in the morning and at night each have their own benefits.

When is the Best Time to Be Creative?

According to a study from Mareike Wietha and Rose Zacks, creative ideas often come at our least optimal times. Morning people are better at solving mysterious insight problems in the evening. On the other hand, Night people are better at solving problems in the morning. The reason is that when your mind gets tired, your focus broadens and you're able to see more opportunities and make connections. However, when your mind is focused, you're focused on fewer tasks and thoughts, which will limit your creativity.

The best time to get new ideas for content is during optimal distraction and dopamine-producing activities. 

Reasons

According to Alice W. Flaherty, a renowned neuroscientist researching creativity: People vary in terms of their level of creative drive according to the activity of the dopamine pathways of the limbic system.

According to Harvard University researcher and psychologist Shelley H. Carson: Dopamine alone, which gets triggered in hundreds of events, where we aren't very creative, can't be the only reason. Another crucial factor is a distraction, which may provide the break you need to disengage from a fixation on the ineffective solution.

When is the Best Time to Write? 

Whether you write best in the morning or at night, there are valid reasons for both times. Read the below reasons and decide which time is best for you, because there's no right or wrong answer. Whenever your creative juices flow the most and you're motivated to write should be the time you allot to sit down and get started on writing.

Writing in the Morning

Reason 1: We have the most willpower in the morning.

Willpower is a limited resource that burns out during the day. We have most of it when we wake up and very little of it before we go to bed.

Reason 2: We're more creative in the morning.

Creative activity is highest during and immediately after sleep. At the same time, the analytical parts of the brain become more active as the day goes on.

Reason 3: We're usually in better moods.

It's much easier to start writing when you're in a good mood than when you're in a bad mood.

Reason 4: It helps build the habit.

Since you have more willpower in the morning, it's easier to turn your daily actions into habits.

Writing in the Evening

Reason 1: There are no distractions.

Most of the time nobody will bother you after traditional work hours and you can focus 100% on your writing.

Reason 2: Your past day filled you with inspiration.

All the experiences you had during the day will inspire your creativity and will help you craft better copy.

Reason 3: You're not in a hurry to do some other work.

When you're finished with your work for the day, it's easier to be more emotionally involved in your writing.

There you have it. Use this advice as a guide for planning out your day so you're feeling creative and ready to write great content!