‘Write drunk, edit sober’

In a recent study done by professor Andrew Jarosz of Mississippi State University reveals that drunk people are more creative at problem-solving.

We gave participants 15 questions from a creative problem-solving assessment called the Remote Associates Test, or RAT—for example, “What word relates to these three: ‘duck,’ ‘dollar,’ ‘fold’?”; the answer to which is “bill.” We found that the tipsy people solved two to three more problems than folks who stayed sober. They also submitted their answers more quickly within the one-minute-per-question time limit, which is maybe even more surprising.

What Jarosz’s study showed is that impairment of focus is a boon for creativity. Sober people tend to overthink. Being a little tipsy loosens the need for perfection and crowd-pleasing.

“Aha!” Let’s relax and unwind

The study is not an excuse for artists or anybody for the matter to get drunk. But what it says is that our intention to be serious and focus all the time can get in the way of outside the box thinking.

Keep in mind that Ernest Hemingway only imbibed after his writing sessions ended so take the study for what it’s worth. Nonetheless, here’s Hemingway kicking a beer can.