NEWS & EVENTS
National news
Forget the Coffee Break; 10.30am is the Time to Get Creative
12.02.2007
10.30am is the 'innovation zone' - the best time of the day to think up your next 'big idea' - according to new research from economic development agency Cornwall Enterprise*.
The survey of over 1000 working people across the UK found that mid-morning is the optimum time to get the creative juices flowing, with nearly a quarter (21 per cent) of us having our best ideas between the hours of 9am and 12 noon.
As a result of the findings, Cornwall Enterprise is urging UK workers to give themselves a 15-minute mid-morning 'innovation window', with no distractions from colleagues, telephone or email, to get their thinking caps on and come up with new ways to solve problems, work more effectively, or even come up with their own entrepreneurial ideas.
Carole Theobald, brand manager of Cornwall Enterprise, says: "It's very easy to get caught up in a task-orientated, nine to five mentality but, as most successful people will tell you, it's also important to give yourself a moment to sit back and look at the wider picture, which is when the ideas that really make a difference occur."
The most inspired people between 9am and 12 noon are those in the East of England, with 29 per cent enjoying their most creative moments then, followed by the South West (25 per cent) and the North West and West Midlands (jointly at 24 per cent).
There are slight differences dependent on both location and age:
. One in five people in Yorkshire and The Humber (20 per cent) are at their most innovative between 6am and 9am;
. 18 per cent of people in Northern Ireland are most creative between 9pm and midnight.
. A total of 44 per cent of those in the 18 to 24 age bracket are most creative between 9pm and 3am, suggesting their best ideas are likely to come while not at work.
. 18 per cent of the 55 and over have their best ideas between 6am and 9am, meaning that for this group the early bird really does catch the worm.
The least creative part of the day was found to be between 3am and 6am with just three per cent of people feeling creative at this time, suggesting that most of us are unlikely to wake up in the middle of the night with a groundbreaking idea.
The survey also found out the biggest factors that help or hinder our ability to think creatively:
. Colleagues were found to be one of the most positive and negative influences with 43 per cent saying co-workers helped them be inspired, whilst 42 per cent reported that interruptions from colleagues, phonecalls and meetings stifled their ability to be creative.
. Workload pressures were also found to have a major effect on innovation with 47 per cent of people saying they were too busy to take the time to think creatively and 36 per cent saying that having more time would help them explore more creative ideas.
Cornwall Enterprise commissioned the survey as the county has seen an increase in inward migration from innovative individuals and businesses, working in fast growth sectors like media, healthcare and environmental technology, and it was keen to establish the factors that contributed to the 'perfect environment' for innovation.
ENDS
Notes to editor:
* YouGov survey, Dec 2006. Total sample size was 1,157 adults (business owners, managers and senior executives). Fieldwork was undertaken between 13-19th December 2006.The survey was carried out online.
** 'Exposed', Creative Kernow Research Document, 2005 - 4,000 businesses and 10,000 people work in the creative industries in Cornwall, around one in every 50 people in the county. The sector is growing at more than twice the UK average rate, between 12 and 15 per cent as opposed to the UK average of 6per cent*.
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Note to editors:
Cornwall Enterprise
Cornwall Enterprise is the economic development service for Cornwall County Council and its mission is to achieve sustainable prosperity for Cornwall. It co-ordinates and enables partnerships and has helped to develop the economic development strategy for the county.
Cornwall Pure Business
Cornwall Pure Business (CPB) is designed as a red carpet service to target and attract inward investment in key sectors through a co-ordinated one stop service for businesses. The service helps relocators to source locations and business premises; grants and loans; secure IT, telecoms and broadband and provides advice on recruitment, training and education. Additionally, CPB is able to facilitate meetings with key personnel in local and regional institutions who can provide businesses with valuable input and further support. Cornwall Pure Business, is a service of Cornwall Enterprise and jointly funded by European Objective One and Cornwall County Council.
Cornwall Pure Business is a service of Cornwall Enterprise