Creative Block? Jog On

I love running. The races, the training, the shoes, the PBs, hey, even the energy gels. 

But what I love most is the clarity of thought when I’m out pounding the pavements. Something I experienced a lot of when I was training for the Seville Marathon earlier this year. Humble brag alert.

There’s something about running that just seems to declutter the mind and help you work things out. 

You can be out in the local park, miles away from your desk and the office, and inspiration will hit out of nowhere. That tricky brief that won’t go away is now solved. That headline you’ve been crafting is now a killer. That germ of an idea is now a gem of an idea. 

As a copywriter in a creative studio, this mind-clearing magic is a potion I value extremely highly. It’s gold dust. That’s why, whenever I work from home, I’ll always go for a couple of laps around the block either in the morning or at lunch. No matter how busy my schedule is or how many deadlines I have (which, as we know in this industry, is easier said than done).

But it’s not just because my training plan tells me I have to, it’s because I know I’ll come back with a new idea, a fresh perspective or at the very least, a healthy dose of endorphins.

Now, this isn’t a new thing. Novelist and runner Haruki Murakami has been banging on about it for years. In his book, 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running', he says “most of what I know about writing fiction I learned by running every day.” I feel the same about writing copy. When you’re out on a run, you can untangle complex information and problem solve without even realising it. You think your brain’s switched off, but it’s actually buzzing away.

Philosopher Henry David Thoreau also wrote “the moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow.” 

The impact of running on creativity isn’t just something experienced by philosophers (and copywriters like me). According to a study by the team at Brooks Running, 9/10 runners think about new things while on a run. And 80% experience transformative new ideas.

There’s science that backs it up too. Exercise boosts the production of certain chemicals, which controls the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, as well as new brain cells. So by going for that 5k jog, you really are boosting your brain power.

But is this all a bit worthy? What if you can’t think of anything worse than running? No problem. Walking helps boost creative inspiration too. Stanford researchers found that a person's creative output increased by an average of 60% when walking. Our MD Rebecca Vickery has introduced walking meetings with her team. There are no distractions from your laptop, plus the change of scenery can improve concentration, clear your mind, and spark new ideas. If fresh air can bring fresh thinking and fresh feeling, creativity will always thrive there.

So there we have it. If you’re struggling to nail a brief or stuck in a creative rut, all you need to do is lace up your trainers and head out. You never know, you might come back with the idea for an article about how much you love running.