# Where and when do you do your best thinking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 5, 2002, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481 "2002-07-05T12:25:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/1 "2002-07-05T12:25:53Z")
I think about philosophy, physics, the future and the past… all when I’m mowing the lawn. I never can anywhere else, there are too many annoying distractions. It just seems like whenever I mow the lawn my mundane physical task is done nearly automatically while I am given the time without distractions to think. So, what about you? ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/2 "2002-07-05T12:33:21Z")
On the toilet. At least I did, during Architecture school. Designs just seemed to flow… ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/3 "2002-07-05T13:59:06Z")
In bed just before I fall asleep. Happy ---
**Author:** ![12hazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/919ad9/32.png) [@12hazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/12hazel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/4 "2002-07-05T14:22:44Z")
In the shower, or while driving longer distances (highway, not city). ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/5 "2002-07-05T15:21:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 12hazel \* > \*\*In the shower, or while driving longer distances (highway, not city). \*\* I’m the same exact way. My best thinking is done in the shower or when I’m driving more than 10 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![ijustdontcare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c57346/32.png) [@ijustdontcare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ijustdontcare)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/6 "2002-07-05T15:37:39Z")
I agree with driving a long way, and sometimes in the shower. However, my very best thoughts, at least they seem good at the time, are when I’m drunk, and alone. Like you know, you have a little party, you get drunk, then everyone leaves, and there you are, drunk and alone. Left to contemplate the world. That’s when I do my best thinking. I tend to over-analyze when I’m sober, so it’s my opinion that I think better drunk. At least most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/7 "2002-07-05T15:44:59Z")
On the bus. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/8 "2002-07-05T15:46:37Z")
In the shower, on the can, on the mower, driving, etc… Basically anywhere where my body is otherwise occupied on some automatic task. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/9 "2002-07-05T15:52:33Z")
While on the computer. I start something and when I get stuck I look in another window for a while and then it comes to me. I don’t like having to sit down and concentrate on one thing alone - thinking in short, sharp bursts is best for me. Plus, I have the attention span of a goldfish with ADHD. Except when I’m reading. That’s a good time too. I find something that merits thinking about, then continue reading but also thinking about that thing, until I realise that I’m five pages on and haven’t comprehended a thing I’ve been reading because I’ve been thinking about the other thing. ---
**Author:** ![Jessity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jessity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jessity)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/10 "2002-07-05T16:17:11Z")
I do my thinking when I’m mowing grass. Highway driving also allows me to lose myself in thought, somewhat, but there are more distractions while I drive than when I mow. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-and-when-do-you-do-your-best-thinking/117481/11 "2002-07-05T16:52:45Z")
Two places. 1. Early morning, when no one else is up, in the “office” (our home’s computer room). That’s where I write my humor column, and some pretty good inspirations have hit me while at the keyboard. 2. Any time of day, in my truck, driving down the road between appointments. This is a big advantage (to me) in being a pest control guy. I work alone, and I have to do a lot of driving. And I can sort out the problems of life while I do so. I am convinced this is what keeps me sane and on an even keel (if that’s what I’m on).