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Why do good ideas so often appear in the shower?

Good ideas often appear in the shower because your mind receives fewer stimuli at that moment. When you don’t have to do anything for a while, your brain gets the space to connect thoughts and allow new insights to emerge.

You might recognize that moment.

You are standing under warm water. Shampoo in your hair. And exactly at that moment – when you don’t have to go anywhere and nobody expects anything from you – an idea suddenly appears.

Not a small idea.

The kind of idea that makes you think:
I should do something with this.

The strange thing is that ideas like this rarely appear when you actively try to find them.

They don’t show up during meetings with an agenda that says: 10:30 – brainstorm.
And they also don’t appear when someone says: “let’s quickly come up with something.”

Good ideas seem to dislike haste.

Ideas need space

Maybe it happens because your mind doesn’t have to react to anything while you’re in the shower.

No emails.
No messages.
No to-do list waiting to be finished.

Your thoughts get the chance to wander a little.

And sometimes something interesting happens. A thought that has been quietly present in the background suddenly moves forward.

As if your brain quietly says:
now that we have some time, let's take a look at this.

This happens to me surprisingly often on the cortijo

For me something similar happens when I am at Cortijo La Vista.

Not because the cortijo has magical inspiration powers — that would be slightly exaggerated.

But because the pace there is different.

The morning starts quietly.
Breakfast on the terrace.
Maybe a walk through the hills of the Sierra Morena.

And somewhere between coffee, a notebook and a conversation another idea suddenly appears.

Sometimes small.
Sometimes big enough to think about for a few days.

Maybe that is why people sometimes step away

It is noticeable that more and more entrepreneurs, creators and facilitators occasionally gather somewhere else with a small group for a few days. Some people even combine this with a workation in a quiet place in Andalusia, where working and thinking naturally fall into a different rhythm.

Not to work harder.

But simply to step away from their everyday environment.

A few days away from the office, the agenda and the routine can sometimes be enough to look at ideas again. It also connects to the idea of slow travel: travelling and living at a pace where space to think naturally returns.

Such a week might take the form of a strategy week, a writing week, a workshop or a small personal development programme.

Not because the place does the work.

But because a different environment sometimes creates space for conversations and thoughts that are harder to start at home.

Small groups often work differently

When a small group stays together in one place for a few days, the dynamics often change. That is also why some facilitators consciously organise their programmes in a quiet location where a small group can come together for a few days to work, write or reflect.

Conversations last longer.
Topics return later in the day.
Someone asks a question that the rest of the group continues exploring.

And sometimes an idea suddenly appears that previously seemed to fit nowhere.

Not because someone had a specific method.

But because there was time.

That is why we bought the cortijo

Cortijo La Vista is not a conference centre and not a large retreat resort.

It is a place with seven guest rooms, an Andalusian patio and a long table where conversations sometimes last longer than planned.

For some people it is simply a place to spend a few days in Andalusia.

For others it can be a place where a small group gathers to write, reflect or develop an idea further.

Not because the cortijo provides the answer.

But because space is sometimes exactly what a question needs.

FAQ_ Frequently asked questions

Why do ideas often appear in the shower?

Because your mind receives fewer stimuli at that moment. As a result, thoughts can wander more freely and unexpected connections sometimes appear.

Does a different environment help creative thinking?

Many people experience that distance from their everyday workplace helps them see situations from a different perspective.

What is a good group size for a mastermind or strategy week?

A small group of about six to ten participants often works best.

Why do some facilitators choose a quiet location?

Calm environments can help slow down the pace of a programme and allow participants to focus more deeply.

Summary

Good ideas rarely follow a schedule.

They often appear when space opens up.

In the shower.
During a walk.
Or somewhere where the pace of life naturally slows down.

For some people a few days in a quiet place can provide exactly that space.

Read also

You might also enjoy these stories – they connect to the same rhythm of living, building and discovering on the cortijo.

• Workation in Spain: working in peace at Cortijo La Vista
• Slow travel is not a trend – it is a way of life
• Why a retreat in Andalusia does not have to be spiritual

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Hasta luego from Andalusia,
Daniëlle | Cortijo La Vista