The always-on culture that instant communication has provided us is destructive to original thinking and diminishes our capacity to solve problems.

A counterintuitive way to solve a problem is to set aside time when one is not dealing with the problem at all, but doing something completely different.

• When we set aside some time to not deal with our problem, it paradoxically improves our efforts.
• This downtime makes our subconscious mind work invisibly towards a possible solution.
• What we do in our downtime is completely up to us, but research shows that exercise, Yoga and trekking are great options.
• It is imperative to sleep well and eat nutritious food to help untangle our minds and bring clarity.
• Companies can help by setting aside time for employees to relax and do some office activities to help them unwind.

• Tuning out from problem-solving helps us solve the problem in a better way, as paradoxical as it sounds.
• We can use this to our advantage by engaging in creative activities that stimulate our mind, like playing music, solving puzzles and indulging in other interdisciplinary skills.

The best way to solve problems is to keep learning new things and performing creative activities.