My best thinking is done while my legs are in motion. Walking and pacing is the best. If I'm confined to a desk, my legs and arms start going crazy. Can't avoid shaking my leg.
For whatever weird reason, pacing on my toes with a spring in my step unlocks my "overdrive" thinking mode (having systematic, "hyperlinked" conversations on complex subjects). Fidgeting with my hands or something is similar, but not as conducive.
It actually is a boon in lectures or physical presentations (people find the motions engaging), but it's usually distracting enough in problem-solving meetings with peers, that I'll avoid it in those situations.
My favorite part about working remote during COVID has been that I can finally do this during normal meetings, and nobody has to be distracted by it! :)
Fascinating neurology. I achieve the same articulacy (having systematic, "hyperlinked" conversations on complex subjects) when I close my eyes; I suspect it frees up resources which are in turn devoted to verbal communication. But my Neurologist friends suggest the brain isn't wired this way - that these are two independent systems whose resources cannot be shared that way.
Regardless, this too lends itself well to Covid-induced remote meetings where video isn't a priority.
It actually is a boon in lectures or physical presentations (people find the motions engaging), but it's usually distracting enough in problem-solving meetings with peers, that I'll avoid it in those situations.
My favorite part about working remote during COVID has been that I can finally do this during normal meetings, and nobody has to be distracted by it! :)