Why can "being late to the party" and procrastination have positive effects on creativity?

"Being late to the party" and procrastination can have positive effects on creativity primarily because they allow time for incubation of ideas. This incubation period is crucial as it enables the subconscious mind to work on a problem or idea without the constraints of immediate deadline pressures. During this time, individuals might experience unexpected leaps in thinking, leading to original solutions or novel concepts that they may not have arrived at through more structured or rushed approaches.

Creativity often thrives in spaces where there is room for reflection, experimentation, and even the freedom to explore tangential ideas that may not immediately appear relevant. When individuals step back from direct engagement with a task, they create opportunities for their thoughts to evolve and mature, leading to innovative insights that can fully manifest when they eventually return to the work at hand. This phenomenon highlights the non-linear nature of the creative process, showing that sometimes stepping away from the immediate task at hand can yield the most fruitful results.