Pravin Gordhan and his team at Treasury must be wondering how on earth to balance SA’s books when social spending keeps growing and only one third of taxpayers are already coughing up 70% of personal income tax. They are going to need all the creative juices they can find.
So here’s my contribution, drawn from decades of having to tap into the right side of my brain. Try the three Bs – Bed, Bath and Bus. Creativity is stimulated by switching off the brain. So when you’re confused, take a power nap or a meditation – the Bed part. Another option comes from immersing in water – a swim, shower or, like Archimedes, a bath (eureka!).
If those don’t work, take a trip: a car, train or bus could do the trick where the others don’t. Among the devotees of the third B is superstar musician Peter Gabriel who says when he battles to find his creative muse, he gets on a train. Watching the landscape rush by puts him into hunter-gather “flight” mode. And the ideas just flow.
So there you have it Mr G. If you’re battling to get creative, no need to tap dodgy accountants. The three Bs will do the job even better.
