Great lineup of ghoulishly good events.
Nov 4-6: SOSV Deep Tech Summit | online
Nov 5: TechWalk | Jersey City
Nov 12: From Workflows to Intelligent Systems: AI Beyond The Hype | Skillman
Nov 16: INNOVATE100 Social (invite only)
R&D Council: Edison Patent Awards | Holmdel
SG: Rob Ott: AI x the Relevance Advantage @ NJ AI Hub | Princeton
Dec 2-5: TBRx Tech Beach Retreat | Jamaica
Here’s a reminder that the JT+I website offers many resources for entrepreneurs and innovators; there is also a LinkedIn page, so please follow.
Entrepreneurial Support
Government/EDA/SIC Hubs
Capital Resources
University Innovation
Hope to see you soon!
Jim Barrood and the Jersey Tech + Innovation Team
Thoughtful piece on brainstorming, courtesy of AXIOS:
Think on your feet
Your next great idea probably won't come from sitting on the couch. You may need to take a walk, preferably without a destination, Axios' Natalie Daher writes. |
🚶 Why it matters: Walking doesn't just benefit your physical and mental health. Research shows it can unlock divergent thinking — the ability to generate new and original ideas that's essential to creativity.
🖼️ The big picture: Masters of their craft, from Albert Einstein to Stephen King and Virginia Woolf, all credited walking with fueling their creativity. Now, science is backing them up, The Washington Post's Richard Sima reports.
A recent analysis of 23 studies found that walking significantly improved people's ability to come up with novel ideas.
But there's a catch: Walking was less effective at convergent thinking — the process of evaluating ideas and deciding which are worth pursuing. That may require a different approach, including collaboration with others.
🔎 Zoom in: How you walk also matters.
A 2022 study found that people who were allowed to roam freely generated more novel ideas than those confined to a predetermined walking path.
Researchers suspect that movement gives our minds the space to wander, helping us break free from rigid thought patterns.
In a separate 2024 study, researchers tracked 157 young adults over five days and found that those who took more steps before a creativity test came up with more original answers.
🎶 The intrigue: The connection goes beyond brainstorming.
People who are more physically active also tend to engage more in creative pursuits — like cooking, music and performing arts — and report more creative accomplishments.
💡 The bottom line: Next time you're in a rut, get up and wander, even if it's in the comfort of your own home. (For me, that's three rooms, but whatever works!)
Give yourself space to daydream, but keep your phone or a notepad handy to record flashes of inspiration.
Once you've got your idea, you'll probably need to take a seat to see it through.
Don't wait for a reason to smile
Your smile could be a self-fulfilling prophecy. |
Why it matters: Simply smiling when you're stressed or blue can lift your spirits, research shows — even when you don't totally feel it.
🔎 Zoom in: Several studies have found evidence that the physical act of smiling can boost feelings of happiness.
The intrigue: The findings support the idea that physical actions and sensations can help shape emotions, rather than simply reflect them, Stanford researchers write.
A smile, even a forced one, can make us feel happier. A furrowed brow can spark feelings of anger.
🎒 Case in point: At the Orange County Academy of Sciences and Arts in Southern California, the power of a smile is taken very seriously. An entire section on the charter school's website is dedicated to its philosophy that a smile can make a difference.
"Smiling creates a supportive classroom culture that makes students relaxed, active, and motivated," according to the website. "It increases emotional well-being, lowers stress, and gives students confidence."
Smiling isn't a magic fix. One analysis of 138 studies found that the emotional benefits of facial expressions are modest and vary depending on the circumstances.
But it's a free, instant tool to keep in your back pocket next time you're feeling down.
