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Incubation
Working hard on a problem, stepping away, then returning to it with fresh eyes.
What is Incubation?
Working hard on a problem, stepping away, then returning to it with fresh eyes.
What you learn
Step away after real work, then return with fresh eyes.
When it helps
you keep repeating the same approaches, or a hard question needs a fresh look later.
Use it at work
- Work on the problem properly first.
- Write where you’re stuck and what you’ve assumed.
- Step away to something unrelated, ideally overnight.
- Return, reread your notes, and question one assumption.
Your output
When you’re stuck, write down the problem and your assumptions, then step away. Reread the notes when you come back.
Watch for
Grinding on without a break, or stepping away without any notes.
Related practices
Sources
- Allow Time for Incubation
- Thinkertoys — publisher contents and introduction
- Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review
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