The Half-Done Strategy

Read time: 6 minutes


How Taking Intentional Breaks Helps You Be More Creative

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
― Anne Lamott



💡 Goal: Pause with purpose, then pursue with passion.

Why It Matters

Your mind is built to solve problems, but like any muscle it gets tired. When you find yourself struggling to get the quality or amount of work done that you know you are capable of, take a break.

A technique I have used is to walk away from something that is not quite done, like a half finished sentence, or an incomplete track (say no bass line).

I might get up and go for a walk.

If it’s late at night I might call it for the night and go to sleep.

Taking a break like this engages something called the default network. Have you ever had a great idea in the shower, or when you are doing dishes?

You can thank this part of your brain for that.

There are other secrets of course. Like slumber with a key idea - curious? Read on.

The Resistor

Engaging the brain completely 🤔

One of the most common mistakes you might be making is trying to finish something that is not ready to be finished. Maybe you have set a deadline for yourself or feel like what you have is “good enough”. But… deep down you know it could be better. Or great.

Do not let yourself fall into this trap. Take a break and let you mind do what it was made to do. Solve creative problems.

It does this by using the default network and the unconscious, but many people do not use these to their full potential. Yet some do…

A Signal Path

Slumber With A Key

The surrealist painter Salvador Dalí used a creative technique he called “slumber with a key”.

He described the process in his 1948 book 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship like this:

“You must seat yourself in a bony armchair, preferably of Spanish style...”

He would sit in this presumably Spanish chair holding a metal key between his first finger and his thumb and below it he would place a plate.

Then:

"... you will have merely to let yourself be progressively invaded by a serene afternoon sleep, like the spiritual drop of anisette of your soul rising in the cube of sugar of your body.”

As he drifted off to sleep and his muscles relaxed, the key would fall onto the plate, waking him up. He claimed this micro-nap allowed him to access subconscious imagery that inspired many of his paintings.

The idea is back by science. It was tested by Delphine Oudiette, a sleep researcher at the Paris Brain Institute.

In a paper called Sleep onset is a creative sweet spot, she and her colleagues discovered that volunteers who took micro naps were almost three times more likely to solve the math problems, outperforming their non-napping counterparts.

Dalí learned the "slumber with a key" technique from the Capuchin monks and other artists who had used it in the past.

Three Cats: Idea, Process, Result

Learn more about the three cats ​here​.

✅ Idea: Generate from the place of least resistance

“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths, or the turning inwards in prayer for five short minutes.” ― Etty Hillesum

🔺 Process: Go slow to go fast

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." ― Sydney J. Harris

🔹 Result: Everything moves in cycles

"The mind should be allowed some relaxation, that it may return to its work all the better for the rest." ― Seneca

Switch to Action

“A change is as good as a rest.”

― Stephen King

Embrace the Unfinished

Start a task and intentionally leave it incomplete. This could be a chorus in your lyrics, a line in a drawing, or a part of your project that’s halfway done.

  1. Set a Break: Choose a type of break that suits the time of day and your personal rhythm:
    • If it’s early or midday, consider a short walk or a different non-demanding task.
    • If it’s late, perhaps it’s best to sleep on it and allow your subconscious to mull over the problem overnight.
  2. Engage the Default Network: Allow your mind to wander freely during these breaks. Avoid engaging in activities that require intense cognitive focus. Simple, repetitive tasks are best.
  3. Reflect and Return: After your break, return to the task with a fresh perspective. Note any new ideas or solutions that come to mind.
  4. Document Your Experience: Keep a journal of your experiences with this strategy. Note any changes in your creative output or problem-solving capabilities.

Go Deeper

​Get 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship by Salvador Dali ​

​Salvador Dali’s Creative Secret Is Backed by Science
​

Looking for other ways to learn to confront your shadow side? Try the Passfilter Creative Cards

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