Time bending -- 365 ways to unlock creativity and innovation | Ken Hughes | TEDxUniversityofNicosia

Summary

In a thought-provoking TED Talk, Ken Hughes, a playologist, challenges the audience to embrace new experiences to 'bend time' and enrich life. He narrates a metaphorical journey through life's memories, represented by Polaroid photos, to illustrate the monotony of routine versus the vibrancy of novelty. Hughes shares his year-long experiment of daily new experiences, which transformed his perspective, fostering creativity, innovation, and joy. He encourages others to say 'yes' to life's possibilities, advocating for a playful approach to break the mundane and ignite personal and professional growth.

Takeaways

• 💡 The speaker encourages embracing creativity and trying new experiences to make life more fulfilling.
• 💀 He uses the metaphor of walking through a warehouse of Polaroid photos representing each day of life to illustrate the importance of unique experiences.
• 🏃‍♂️ The speaker suggests that as we age, our days can become routine, leading to a life that feels like it's slipping away.
• 🎉 At 40, he realized the need to avoid a life of monotony and started a 365-day experiment to do something new every day.
• 📝 He kept a journal to record each new experience, which became a challenge to maintain throughout the year.
• 🤸‍♂️ The speaker found that it's easier to try new things on weekends but the real challenge was incorporating novelty into weekdays.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 He discovered that even small, everyday activities can become new experiences when approached with a fresh perspective.
• 🌐 The 'Time Bending' concept is about stretching the time we have by filling it with new and different activities to make life richer.
• 🤝 The experiment showed that the idea of trying new things is infectious and can inspire others to join in.
• 🙅‍♂️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of saying 'yes' to opportunities to prevent a day from passing without any memorable events.
• 🎈 The experiment led to a personal shift in perspective, fostering a playful attitude that enhances creativity and innovation.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the talk given by Ken Hughes?

The main theme of Ken Hughes' talk is the concept of 'Time Bending', which is about filling one's life with new experiences to make each day unique and, in essence, stretching the perception of time.

What does Ken Hughes suggest we imagine at the beginning of his talk?

Ken Hughes suggests we imagine that we are dead and follow a white light into a warehouse where we see thousands of Polaroid photographs representing each day of our life.

What does Ken Hughes imply about the photographs that are black or blank?

Ken Hughes implies that the black or blank photographs represent days in life where nothing unique or new was done, indicating a routine life that lacks memorable experiences.

What personal milestone did Ken Hughes reach this year, and how did it influence his perspective on life?

Ken Hughes turned 40 this year, which led him to face a midlife crisis and reflect on the importance of living a life full of new experiences rather than falling into a routine.

What does Ken Hughes' father, who is 73 years old, think about time as he gets older?

Ken Hughes' father believes that time seems to move faster as he gets older, especially when he doesn't do many new things, which is a concept that Ken explores in his talk.

What experiment did Ken Hughes undertake starting from the first of January of the current year?

Ken Hughes undertook a 365-day experiment where he aimed to do something new that he had never done before every single day of the year to test the concept of 'Time Bending'.

What did Ken Hughes learn from his experience of cutting his daughter's hair?

Ken Hughes learned that even seemingly ordinary activities like cutting his daughter's hair can become a new and unique experience, contributing to his 'Time Bending' experiment.

How did Ken Hughes' experiment with 'Time Bending' affect his daily life and routine?

The experiment led Ken Hughes to seek out new experiences in his daily life and routine, such as making his own pain au chocolat when they ran out at a hotel, doing his wife's aerobics DVD, and having his toenails painted by his daughter.

What impact did Ken Hughes' 'Time Bending' have on the people around him?

Ken Hughes' 'Time Bending' became infectious, influencing others to join him in trying new experiences, such as friends participating in the spray-cream challenge and people joining him for beach art.

What advice does Ken Hughes give for fostering creativity and innovation in one's personal and professional life?

Ken Hughes advises to adopt a philosophy of openness to new experiences and play, to take risks, and to say 'yes' to opportunities as a way to foster creativity and innovation.

How does Ken Hughes suggest we change our workspace to foster creativity?

Ken Hughes suggests changing the workspace every two or three weeks, varying the art, decor, and even the building, to break the monotony and encourage creative thinking.