<ul><li>Eliciting new knowledge: when you stop problem-solving, your brain keeps working on it in the background and may come across memories you may have ignored when you were actively trying to think about the problem.</li><li>Selective forgetting: an incubation period weakens the unhelpful solutions that are distracting you. </li><li>Problem restructuring: stepping away from the problem lets your brain reorganize the problem.</li></ul>

The “Incubation Period” Mechanisms

That’s a scientifically recognized phenomenon where an idea is unconsciously worked out by the brain. It often happens when we are trying to solve a hard problem and take a break to do an unrelated task.Concentrating harder won't force the 'eureka moment' when you're experiencing a mental block.

The Incubation Period

When you're struggling with a problem or decision take a break from thinking hard.Some studies say an incubation period as short as 10 minutes might be enough to gain a new perspective. But that’s not unanimous, so you might want to experiment to discover what works for you.

Using The Incubation Period

Instead, your best option might be to step away from your project and busy yourself with another task. Clean the house, pay some bills, or take a nap and you just might experience a spark of genius as the solution seems to magically come to you.

The Incubation Period

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