Final answer:
The incubation phase in creative work is beneficial because it allows for mental rest, helps form new memory connections for innovative ideas, and offers fresh perspectives for problem-solving.
Step-by-step explanation:
The incubation phase of creative performance might be helpful for various reasons. Firstly, it allows fatigue to dissipate, which can refresh the mind and body, leading to increased productivity and creativity. Secondly, the incubation phase can enable spreading activation to reach new memory connections, thus possibly leading to novel and innovative ideas. Thirdly, taking a break from conscious thought about a problem often provides a new perspective, enabling the exploration of more productive tactics or solutions. These benefits align with research suggesting that rest, including sleep, has cognitive benefits that extend to creative thinking, language learning, inferential judgments, and the processing of emotional information.