innovate big

get wired and innovate smarter

The Developing Intelligence Blog has an excellent post on how to get “optimally wired”. It discusses in great detail the various cognitive advantages (memory enhancement for example) and disadvantages (addiction/withdrawal for example) of the world’s most popular psychoactive stimulant.

My experience has been mixed but I typically indulge most when the task at hand is tedious and/or boring; this is because I read a scientific study, similar to the ones outlined in the post above, that concluded caffeine enhances performance of tedious and repetitive tasks. In moderation however, I have also found caffeine to be a good catalyst to great conversations and, as a byproduct, creative thinking. Try it at home sometime with a cup of Cuban espresso, a personal favorite of mine…