ventilating your office (even when it’s cold) stimulates creativity, according to a study

This is the observation made by researchers at a university in Singapore. The level of organic compounds (VOC) in the inspired air influences creative potential.

Opening the windows when it’s cold is not intuitive. And yet, even in winter, to be creative, it is better to ventilate your office well. This is the result of a study carried out by scientists from a university in Singapore and published in the journal Nature, September 19, 2023. These researchers have shown that when the indoor air of a room contains fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the creative potential of its occupants is greater. These chemical molecules or VOCs are released by new furniture, floor coverings, paints or perfumes.

After following 90 students for a month and a half, these researchers established that with a 72% drop in volatile organic compounds in the room, creative potential increases by 12%. The quantity of CO2 in the air also matters, but to a lesser extent. These researchers linked the level of creativity and indoor air quality by precisely modifying the level of pollutants in the air using filtration and ventilation devices. To measure the creative potential of the participants, they regularly offered them an unexpected exercise.

Based on a news article discussing a social problem, such as health issues, global warming or the fight against poverty, participants had to propose solutions by building an object with Lego bricks, then they had to explain the reason for their construction in writing. This method, scientifically validated, made it possible to establish a creativity score for each candidate and to establish a correlation with air quality.

The beneficial role of the “almost nap”

On a different note, walking also improves creativity. Neuroscience work has shown that those who think while walking or those who move or stretch regularly while remaining at their desk have more ideas than stationary, sedentary workers. The “almost nap” also seems to be beneficial for creativity. The almost nap is that moment when the muscles relax just before falling asleep, and cause us, for example, to drop the pen in our hand. Inserm researchers have found that just after this moment which combines disconnection and lucidity, problem-solving performance is greatly increased. Some scientists have also nicely named this moment: “the Eureka moment”.