why the shower has answers to all the questions of the universe

You step into the shower, immersed in the comfort of warm water. Steam surrounds you in a cloud-like heaven. After squeezing some soap on your loofah, you cover your skin in endless foam. The smell of grapefruit calms your mind. And your thoughts wander…

You come up with a new idea for a pizza topping, you figure out how finally to solve the homework question you’ve been stuck on, and in the process, you realize the meaning of life. While we daydream in the shower, we generate our most creative ideas. But why does this happen? What’s so special about showering? Is there something in the water?

It turns out that there is a psychological reason behind this. When you enter the shower, you follow a routine that you have repeated for many years. Psychologists call this automatic processing. You don’t have to consciously think about washing your hair or scrubbing your body—you just kind of do it. This allows you to focus on your thoughts instead. The same thing applies for other automatic tasks, like folding your laundry or brushing your teeth. Because you don’t have to concentrate on a particular goal, your ideas can flow freely.

The shower is also a space where you are free from the distractions of the outside world. You are immersed in your own bubble, away from the stress of everyday life. This calm state of mind actually promotes creative thinking, which is why we come up with some of our best ideas.

Sadly, it feels like most of our ideas wash away afterwards. If you’re interested in holding onto your amazing thoughts, make sure to write them down in a notebook. You never know when they might come in handy!