The findings presented in the Nature<\/em> study are coherent with those of two other studies. One of them was published in Psychological Science<\/em> magazine in August 2012, and it verified that time spent in new leisure activities can contribute to improved capacity to resolve problems, stimulating creativity and insights regarding new approaches or overlooked details. Such practices also allow researchers to find satisfaction in completing small projects.<\/p>\n Another study, which was published four years earlier in the Journal of<\/em> Psychology of Science and Technology<\/em>, claimed that the winners of the Nobel prize are almost two times more likely to have hobbies related to the arts or manual work than those who work for the National Academy of Sciences in the United States or the Royal Society in the United Kingdom. The study utilized data published in researcher autobiographies, biographies, and obituaries. \u201cForcing the brain to perform activities that are not related to research work can help increase cognitive flexibility,\u201d confirmed psychologist Dean Simonton of the University of California, Davis, when interviewed by Nature<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cWeaving helps me to more calmly think about and evaluate recent facts involving my research,\u201d adds Dr. Isaac. Another benefit of practicing creative activities is the possibility of giving the mind a break from the discipline required in the lab, for example. It is not unusual for researchers to also have to deal with administrative tasks related to planning and managing team projects, completing reports, and developing new proposals for project financing. The resulting physical and mental exhaustion can trigger \u201ccreative blocks\u201d when it is not possible to find a solution to a certain problem and advance scientific reflection.<\/p>\n Simonton explains that the synergy of ideas sometimes happens accidentally. \u201cIt is not initially obvious how an interest in painting can be useful for an astronomer,\u201d he explains. \u201cHowever, the path to having innovative insights requires that researchers combine a wide variety of organized thoughts and diverse experiences.\u201d Any pastime can be useful. Ecologist Thomas Lewinsohn from the Institute of Biology at the University of Campinas (IB-UNICAMP), for example, takes advantage of small breaks during field activities, or when he is at the beach, to take photos (see Pesquisa FAPESP n\u00ba 248<\/em><\/a>). For 20 years, geneticist Peter Pearson, from the Institute of Biosciences of the University of S\u00e3o Paulo (IB-USP), is engaged in the construction of a sailboat in the region of Ilhabela, along the S\u00e3o Paulo coast (see<\/em> Pesquisa FAPESP issue no. 264<\/em><\/a>).<\/p>\n Practicing sports is also an option. Rodrigo Elias de Oliveira, during his work at his orthodontic practice, during research activities at IB-USP or as a bioanthropologist in Minas Gerais, takes time to run, row, and cycle. \u201cSports help me to unwind, clear my mind, and relax,\u201d he says. He dedicates several hours of his day, at least three times a week, to biking or rowing in the Olympic lanes at USP. \u201cBeyond defusing both personal and professional issues, sports help me to stay in shape, which is key when I work such long hours in the clinic, the lab, or in the field,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n The search for enjoyable leisure activities can help researchers reduce mental stress and improve the balance between work and personal life<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Since 2015, dentist Luciana Saraiva, of the School of Orthodontics at USP (FO-USP), is a swimmer. \u201cWhen I\u2019m in the pool, I try not to think about anything,\u201d she comments. \u201cBut sometimes I reflect on my problems at FO-USP, considering what I should do in each situation.\u201d She recounts that she has already had insights about project titles, research collaborations, or new approaches to studies underway while she did laps in the pool. And for musician Rog\u00e9rio Moraes Costa, a researcher with the Department of Music at the School of Communication and Arts at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo, practicing sports, particularly cycling, is part of his daily routine. \u201cWorking with music, which is very enjoyable, I often get the feeling that work and hobbies are intertwined. But obviously it is not quite like that,\u201d he says. \u201cMy pastimes are related to cycling, reading, and playing the piano and saxophone for pleasure only, but often are connected, even indirectly, to my work.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/096-098_Carreiras_270-4-860px.jpg\")
Bernardo Fran\u00e7a<\/span><\/a><\/p>\nBernardo Fran\u00e7a<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n