Sometimes, it can be hard to get the creative juices flowing. Americans all seem to lean on the same helpful trick to get their minds activated and come up with new ideas — and if it’s not already part of your daily routine, it’s time to get on that ASAP.
53% of Americans “fantasize” while they work out, according to a new survey commissioned by Nautilus and executed by GMA Research. They use time on the treadmill to think about the books they want to write, the devices they plan to invent, and even the behavior they hope to model.
The survey included an open-ended question about “the best breakthrough idea” that respondents had while exercising. Some of the answers were very specific.
“Coming up with a robotic arm brace for my sister (who) had a stroke,” reads one.
Some people thought about home improvements they wanted to make. Others thought of breakups they needed to set in motion, whether with their significant others, or their jobs. Still, others came up with the plot of a novel or wrote music.
Am I dreaming?
In movies, it always seems to be the quirky female protagonist who has her head in the clouds. But in actuality, men are more prone to fantasizing, at least while they work out.
57% of male respondents said they daydreamed during their exercise routine, versus only half of women. So next time, maybe Hollywood should make the man more of a manic pixie dream boy while the woman stays solidly on the ground.
Where dreams go to die
Apparently, as we get closer to our graves, so do our fantasies. Almost two-thirds of survey respondents ages 18-34 said they give into their daydreams while they work out. But that number plummets as gym rats get older — only 44% of people ages 35-44 and 42% of those ages 45-54 said they let their minds drift as they exercise.
West Coast = dreamiest coast?
They say California is a place for dreamers, and this survey seems to confirm that. 56% of West Coasters said they fantasize during their workouts, compared to only 50% of those in the Midwest.
Originally published on The Ladders.
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