The ultimate dance to spark maximum creativity

We all know that physical activity is good for our health, but did you know that it can also boost your creativity? By incorporating specific movements into your day, you can actually boost your creativity.

In addition, there is a strong relationship between movement and music. In fact, many experts believe that the two are interconnected. When we move our bodies, we stimulate our brains and get the blood flowing. This helps to increase our focus and concentration. At the same time, listening to music can also help to improve our moods and reduce stress levels. This combination of benefits makes it easier for us to tap into our creativity.

So, what is the optimal set of movements, or "dance," for ultimate creativity? We've taken the liberty of naming it the "Workama-Jig" after our very own company name. This dance is perfect for creative agencies and teams who are looking to get their juices flowing and come up with some truly innovative ideas.

Watch the video and get your Workmama-jig on...

Which muscle movements will help you be more creative & productive?

Before we get into the steps of the Workama-Jig, let's get into some of the context surrounding the benefits of physical activity on creativity.

Employees in creative teams who exercise four times a week are better able to think creatively than those who do not, according to a study conducted by Leiden University in The Netherlands. This is because physical exercise trains the brain to be more flexible in finding creative solutions. In other words, when you step away from your desk to exercise, even if only for a few minutes, you're giving your mind a chance to reset and approach problems from a fresh perspective.

More specifically, in 2012, a study by Michael L. Slepian and Nalini Ambady revealed that fluid arm movement led to enhanced creative generation, remote associations, and cognitive flexibility.

Here's a glimpse at some of the science behind the data and research:

Increased blood flow to the brain

Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which helps to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to cells. This can help give us more energy which results in improved cognitive function and memory.

Improved focus and concentration

Regular physical activity can help to improve focus and concentration, both of which are essential for creative thinking.

Increased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor

BDNF is a protein that helps to promote the growth of new neurons and protect existing ones. Exercise has been shown to increase BDNF levels, which can in turn help to improve cognitive function and memory.

If you're sitting all day, you should stretch your pectoral muscles, hip flexors, spine stabilizing muscles, piriformis, and plantar fascia. This will help keep you feeling loose and limber throughout the day, which will ultimately positively impact your creativity.

While developing the "Workama-Jig," we looked at what parts of the body and what moves you need to do in order to get the body moving after sitting down for long periods of time. The goal was to come up with a dance that would get different parts of the body moving to spark creativity/productivity—especially for those of us who spend a lot of time sitting at desks.

Step-by-step guide to the
"Workama-Jig" dance routine

Now it's time to put your dancing shoes on and do the "Workama-Jig."
Just follow this simple routine, and you'll be sure to have the creative juices flowing in no time:

Push left arm out, followed by right arm

Throw your right arm extended

Push right arm forward, followed by left arm

Pull both elbows into the body

Next, throw your arms above and across your body to make an X

Clap hands above head

Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side

Why the Music Matters

Once you have the moves down, it's time to add it to some tunes.

Music has always been known to be a source of inspiration and motivation. In the modern workplace, where creativity is often key, finding ways to increase productivity and creativity can be essential. This is where music can help.

By playing certain types of music at the right tempo, you can help to increase both productivity and creativity in your workplace.

There is a reason why certain types of music are known to be more effective than others when it comes to enhancing creativity and productivity. The science behind it lies in the fact that music can affect our mood, heart rate, and breathing. When we listen to music, our brain releases dopamine, which has a positive effect on our mood. Music can also help to reduce stress levels and anxiety, which can free up our minds to focus on creative tasks.

Studies have shown that certain types of music are more effective than others when it comes to enhancing creativity and productivity. Up-tempo music with a strong beat (around 50-80 beats per minute) can help to increase our heart rate and breathing, which can lead to increased alertness and energy levels. This type of music - which can even include video game music - is ideal for tasks that require focus and concentration. For tasks that require more creative thinking, slower-paced relaxing music, such as classical, can be more effective. This type of music helps to slow down our heart rate and breathing, which can allow us to think more creatively.

We collected data from over 1,000 Spotify songs to explore different productivity and creativity-boosting playlist trends. The average length of a productivity-boosting song is right around two and a half minutes, with Bonobo, Philter, ODESZA being the artists with the most tracks included on the playlist.

#	Song	Artist	Album	Genre	Song Length
01	Feel It Still	Portugal. The Man	FM4 Soundselection 36	Indie	[00:02:43]
02	Oblivion	Bastille	Bad Blood	Indie	[00:03:16]
03	How Did I Get Here	ODESZA	Summer's Gone	Electronica	[00:02:12]
04	Left Alone	Flume	Flume	Indie	[00:03:29]
05	Umbrella - Beatless Mix	Chymera	Umbrella	Electronica	[00:03:43]
06	Acacia House	River Gods	Cafe Ibiza: The Dream of Balearic Cuisine	Chill	[00:03:54]
07	Take Flight	Lindsey Stirling	Shatter me	Electronica	[00:04:24]
08	Something for Windy	Bonobo	Dial 'M' for Monkey	Electronica	[00:01:11]
09	Twenty Six	Philter	The Beautiful Lies	Electronica	[00:02:46]
10	Nicotina	Stumbleine	Things Don't Sparkle Like They Used To	Electronica	[00:03:02]
11	Beautiful Sunset	CMA	Beautiful Sunset	Electronica	[00:04:28]
12	Greenland	Emancipator	Safe In the Steep Cliffs	Electronica	[00:03:11]
13	Concept 15	Kodomo	Still life	Electronica	[00:02:37]
14	Basique	Little People	Mickey Mouse Operation	Electronica	[00:03:38]
15	Egyptian Mode	Pavel Dovgal	Bedouin [MN006]	Electronica	[00:02:03]
16	Eunoia	Jacoo	Eunoia	Electronica	[00:03:04]
17	Vättern	Fort Fairfield	The Essential Thing Resists Telling	R&B	[00:03:58]
18	Waiting for the Rush	Rameses B	Revolution 001	Dubstep	[00:05:07]
19	Missing Pieces	Electus	Missing Pieces	Electronica	[00:02:43]
20	Thought So	Himalia	Distances	Electronica	[00:03:46]

Methodology

Workamajig researched the best movements to choreograph a dance to help spark both creativity and productivity. By scraping Spotify, we identified which song playlists would help spark optimum creativity and focus when working, considering both BPM (beats per minute), length, and artist. Finally, we blended the results to best understand a dance that would get different parts of the body moving to spark both creativity and productivity.

Try the Workama-Jig before your next big brainstorm or team meeting to boost your overall productivity and creativity. To learn more ways to unleash your creativity and maximize your team's productivity, review our project management software offering for creative agencies and in-house teams.

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