Lately, I’ve found that coffee and alcohol have both become staples in my daily life. And for many of us, these two beverages have indeed become integral parts of our physical and social lives. We drink coffee in the mornings (and maybe even later on) for the energy boost, then turn to the bottled goods to unwind once the weekend hits.

But did you know that drinking both selectively can actually help improve your overall productivity?

Whenever I’m running low on energy, I’ll turn on the espresso machine to help me get through that last chapter of my philosophy reading. But I never imagined that Smirnoff could help me overcome writer’s block. I mean, I’ve always been one to drink to forget.

Turns out, your search for inspiration can actually be a legitimate excuse for you to grab an ice cold beer. Alcohol lowers your working memory, which allows you to think past the small irrelevant details and focus on the bigger picture. Alcohol also helps you relax, which can actually promote creative thinking, which explains why a lot of artists turn to certain types of drugs.

Once you’ve found that idea you’ve been searching for, coffee can be added into the equation to help you put your plan into motion. Caffeine helps give you that burst of willpower by tricking your brain into thinking you actually have more energy than you really do.

The science behind it

Technically speaking, creativity is known as the ability to come up with something new by making connections between the existing ideas that live in your brain. These movements are controlled by adenosine, which is basically like the battery icon on your iPhone – it lets you know when you’re running low on energy and starts slowing you down in response to this.

This is why you feel tired after a few hours of intense cramming.

When you intake coffee, the caffeine blocks receptors from binding to the adenosine and makes you think you still have energy. Within just 5 minutes, you feel more energized. In other words, the java is just telling your body you still have juice in you even when it’s long gone.

Now let’s pair this with the effect alcohol can have on your brain.

When you intake alcohol, you feel less focused; however, your brain is freed up from distractions that might normally be occupying it. After a few cold ones, you start to care less about what’s happening around you. This explains why you seem to get a little bit more…”friendly” after a few shots, and also why you probably don’t remember much from that one night at the frat house.

By lowering your ability to pay attention to what’s around you, your brain is actually loosened up. You become less worried about what others will think, which allows you to really crank out those ideas. Once your blood alcohol reaches about 0.07, which is around two drinks worth, your creativity levels start to rise!

The bad

Of course, there are always consequences to either one. Drinking too much alcohol will make you less focused, and will decrease your memory. It also does take a toll on your liver after awhile.

And on the other hand, every cup of coffee you down, no matter how little, will result in tolerance buildup. Your body will start to demand more after some time to get the same effects.

So basically, moderation is key.

Your prescription

Now, I’m no bio major, but after doing a little bit of research, I can suggest you a recommended time for reaching for either drink.

It should be noted, though, that you shouldn’t drink either when you need to focus on more detailed or analytical projects, like calculus or your taxes.

The best time to have a beer is when you’re searching for that initial idea. In order to get those “eureka” moments, you need to feel relaxed – and alcohol is best at doing just that.

Once you’ve come up with a basic outline of what you want to do, a cup of coffee will greatly help you to execute that idea. Caffeine is best at increasing performance – after you have that idea laid out, drink some coffee to aid you in focusing on the busy work without sacrificing quality.

And finally, try to stick to no more than two of each per sitting. Also, it’s recommended you try this combination out no more than once or twice a week. Although they are great aids, don’t start depending on them to boost your creativity. Other, more natural methods, like quality sleep and well-spaced breaks, will help you do the same.

Trending Articles: