When do you come up with the your best ideas? When do you typically find solutions to the problems that you have been trying to solve for days? Is it in the shower in morning? Is it right as you're about to fall asleep at night? Is it as you're awkwardly bending over into downward dog while doing your daily yoga routine?
Most likely it is.
So why do these "Moments of Genius" strike us at such odd times?
They do, because that is when your mind is at it's clearest/or the emptiest (if you want to think about it like that) :)
With a clear mind you are able to tap into what Napoleon Hill calls "infinite knowledge". Some believe it's their subconscious, others the "energy of the universe" but whatever it is, this power is able to store, sort, and combine our thoughts, past experiences and other bits of information to form a solution you would have never reached trying to solve it on your own.
People typically use mediation, yoga, drugs, exercise, music, or other activities to clear their mind.
But while those techniques are great, they are short lived. The music ends, your body gets tired, & reality sets in. You start thinking about work, your "to-do's", your commitments, and you completely forget about the wonders and benefits of having mental clarity and freedom.
The way I think about it is that, your mind is like a radio trying to send and receive messages from the universe, the less interference, the better the connection.
And what people don't realize is that all those commitments, "to-do's", etc., are the interference.
This is why I believe that there is a greater reason to utilize the power of task management & activity automation that goes beyond simply getting things done. I believe the reason for setting clear goals, creating lists, habits etc. is to give you the ability to clear your mind.
In the words of David Allen, "Your mind is made to create ideas, not store them."