Why you get Your Best Ideas in the Shower and How to Remember Them

Have you ever heard the anecdote that lawyers will bill you for their time in the shower?! It’s meant as a joke, but the truth is science suggests that periods of mind wandering — like in the shower, washing dishes, or walking the dog — lead to ah-ha moments of creativity and breakthrough ideas. 

In fact, a 2014 study conducted by Northwestern professor Scott Barry Kaufman showed 72% of respondents around the world reported having some kind of new insight in the shower. Respondents also reported they are more likely to get fresh insights in the shower than at work. 

According to the science of daydreaming, moments like in a hot shower, when you are disconnected from the outside world, in a warm, almost womb-like environment, you experience a sort of sensory deprivation that provides a mental incubation period. This can enhance creative thinking, long-term planning, and self-awareness.

The part of your brain that is active during mind-wandering in the shower is called the default mode network (DMN) — which connects more than a dozen regions of the brain.

According to Harvard-trained psychiatrist and brain researcher, Dr. Srini Pillay:

When you unfocus, you engage a brain circuit called the ‘default mode network’…under the brain’s conscious radar, it activates old memories, goes back and forth between past, present, and future, and recombines different ideas.
— Dr. Srini Pillay

So how do we translate these “Ah-ha” moments into action!?

With a little-known product line,  shower note pads!

I’ve tested three waterproof notepads for you in our search for the best idea capture experience in the wet and wild world of shower ideas. Enjoy!


top choice

Aqua Notes Water Proof Note Pad

 
 

Overall Score

A-

 
 

Purpose 

Excellent! I was easily able to write and record thoughts and ideas. 

Design

The paper dimensions are the smallest of the three and I did wish it was a bit bigger. The full-size pencil was my favorite. 

Functionality

This pad fell off my wall the most, probably because it was the lightest so I had a hard time getting it to suction well to the wall. Eventually, it became hard to tear the pages off because the pad is so light. 

Final Takeaways

I wish this pad was just a little bigger. But, I did prefer the larger pencil to write with. After some use, the more pages you remove the more you really have to hold the pad with two hands to rip the pages off, but it’s not the worst thing and still a great way to remember your ideas while in the shower.


second choice

HealPT Waterproof Shower Notepad with Pencil

 
 

Overall score

B+

 
 

Purpose

Does the job! 

Design

This had the smallest-sized pencil of the three shower notepads I reviewed. While it functioned very well, I would have preferred a full-sized pencil. When things are slippery in the shower it’s just easier to have a longer pencil! 

Functionality

This notepad is lightweight so eventually, it became challenging to tear the pages off and the pages stuck together more than the other notepads. But, I would say it’s more of an inconvenience than a deal-breaker. This one seemed to have the best suction of all three pads. The pencil smudges a little if you swipe the text with your wet hand, but you have to really rub the pad to actually get the text to erase. 

Final Takeaways

I would have rated this pad higher than the Aqua Notes pad if it had come with a larger pencil. 


third choice

Kokland Waterproof Notebook

 

overall score

B-

Has potential but not worth the cost. $25.99

 
 

Purpose

Hit or miss, I tried to write with the green and red pens and almost no ink came out. I had pages with incomplete thoughts and notes because the ink wouldn’t work on the wet note pad. 

Design

I absolutely love the dots on the pad for sketching. The size of the writing area was great. It also came with a fun pamphlet with prompts to think about in the shower. This one had the strongest backing of the three which is great for writing, sketching, and tearing the paper off. 

Functionality

Two of the four pen colors don’t work. The pad doesn’t really seem to be waterproof (I actually went back online after trying it in the shower to double-check it actually WAS a waterproof notebook). The process for attaching the hook to the wall was very unclear. Initially, I peeled off the backing and applied it to the wall but the hook could not hold the weight of the pad. I left the hook where it was and the next day came back to remove it and it was sealed tightly to the shower tile wall. So perhaps give the hook 24 hours to attach?

Final Takeaways

I don’t think it’s really meant to go “in the shower”. Maybe just in the bathroom on the non-wet side of the shower? The pad is well-designed, but the functionality in the shower is poor. The paper on this pad was my favorite so I ended up just tearing off the sheets and peppering the blank sheets on the tile of the shower so I could use the pencil to write sketches and ideas. 


Final Recommendations

In true innovation fashion… I ended up just hacking my own solution:

I combined the paper from Kokand and the Pencil from Aqua Notes. The Kokland paper is a perfect size and the little gridlike dots make it easier to write and sketch. The large Aqua Notes pencil was my favorite, easy to grip, and can be easily sharpened with a regular pencil sharpener. 

Assuming you don’t want to purchase multiple pads, I would recommend either the AquaNotes Waterproof pad or the HealPT Waterproof notepad. They get the job done for half the cost!

Michelle Risinger