Moving n’ Groovin

Mind over matter…

Brain over brawn…

Don’t fidget…

Use your noggin…

Sit still and listen…

Or maybe not… What if movement was just important to you’re work as your thoughts? What if all along we have been thinking with our bodies and not giving our bodies any of the credit?

Amy and I went to the School of Life’s Sunday Sermon last weekend with renowned Psychologist Peter Lovatt, who specializes in the study of the relationship dance holds with cognition.

He made a lot of sense; we are more body than mind, so why should we try and actively separating the two things when it comes to problem solving?

In fact, Lovatt has shown through his research at his Dance Lab at the University of Hertfordshire that different kinds of bodily movement can increase our capacity to solve thinking puzzles (often dance with structure and steps) and creative challenges (more of the freestyle boogie kinda moves).

And it got me thinking- what would this mean for us at eatbigfish?

No- I’m not suggesting starting a workshop with the utter humiliation of breaking out some of our secret bedroom dancing (although I’ve seen our most of the eatbigfish team dance at various points- and it would be a treat for you all).  I was thinking more about what would be the spark to get everyone thinking about how they are using their bodies in the workshop situation.

And so I have decided to share a study that Lovatt shared with us and got us to participate in. Something that you see all too often play out unnoticed in workshops.

He got half the room sitting arms and legs crossed… and the other half of the congregation to lay back arms behind their head Ferris Bueller style for 5 minutes…

He then posed the question-

“You have £5 to bet on the outcome of a role of a dice. You win- so I give you another £5. Now you have two options.
Option 1- you bet £5 again- and you could win another £5.
Or option 2, you bet the full £10 you have- you could win £20 or you could be left with nothing… What do you do?”

Its not rocket science you probably have already rightly concluded that the Ferries Bueller’s were far more game for a gamble. And you would be absolutely right- but how amazing it is that! Just 5 minutes of having a dominant body posture actually makes you more open to taking risks.

We often all need a little extra boost when it comes to going out on a limb, taking a risk creating an idea.

So why not try getting our limbs to help? Have a little private boogie for your mental block and when at work let your body help you take more risks and get to your goal, one 80′s movie position at a time.

Our biscuits afterwards!
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