RE: Taking a Break From Writing // Known Unknowns, Epiphanies, and Invisible Processes // Writing Journal
Activating this "default mode network" is not something I experienced, not that I noticed anyway, until after I was out of school.
I was a math student, and I kept math as a hobby. I found that a pre-requisite for me is really getting immersed in a problem. In school, I was in too much of a hurry.
As a hobby, I could take the time to get really "frustrated" by a problem. I could look at it long enough to where I no longer needed paper. I could think about it meaningfully even while taking a walk. With this kind of immersion, I started having those sorts of epiphanies.
If you could figure out what kinds of rhythms and activities you need to get that kind of spontaneous illumination of something, I can see how it could be a great advantage in getting tough things done.
I think school encourages rushing through problems, which is how you miss those epiphanies - I went back to college at the age of 26 and started doing my homework well in advance, which was the only time I was really able to ruminate and come up with new solutions. I wish this was more "standardized", there's an assumption that intelligence will yield automatic results.
I suppose universities have their hands full trying to push students through the body of knowledge that is considered the foundation of a certain area.
Still, quite some time later, I was shocked to realize that I had not done very much thinking during most of my schooling. That is of course my own experience. I am sure there is a fair amount of folks who get to that place while they are still in the formal program.