What it is
John Cleese says creativity needs an “oasis of quiet”: a protected space with clear boundaries, a comfortable place and a set time, ideally about 90 minutes. At first your thoughts will race. Sit with that anxiety, and the mind quiets down.
Richard Hamming did something similar for years, reserving Friday afternoons for “great thoughts” about where computing was going. He said it was well worth 10% of his time, because otherwise you stay immersed in the sea of detail, like a drunken sailor whose random steps cancel each other out.
How it shows up for me
My oasis is early morning, before anyone else is awake. When I skip it for a week, I can feel my work getting reactive.