7 Idea Dumping Tips (How To Manage Diarrhea of the Brain)
- Posted by glen on August 10th, 2006
Idea dumping is a lot like brainstorming. (I happen to be an expert on idea dumping because I just made the term up 5 minutes ago.). Brainstorming to me is more of a process where you have a problem, and you try and find a solution to it, with the end goal in mind. It’s a great concept in theory–except it never happens that way for me. It seems like whenever I really need a great idea, they are nowhere to be found. Yet when I’m doing something completely unrelated and seemingly unimportant, I’ll be floating in ideas. And when the mind finally does agree to cooperate and turn on, I won’t usually get just one good idea but a bunch of ‘em at a time. When it rains it pours, but it’s a summer in Texas otherwise.
It’s more like my brain all of the sudden opens up and throws out a flurry of ideas, a proverbial diarrhea of the brain. Except with a good connotation, (unlike most comparisons to bowel movements). So I’ve decided to call this process Idea Dumping to kind of fuse Brainstorming and, well… the bowel thing. So if you haven’t already quit reading this post, here are my 7 tips for effective Idea Dumping.
1. ALWAYS carry paper
It almost always never fails. I’ll have a great idea, I’ll think about it for a while, and never remember it again. Why? I didn’t write it down. Half of having a good idea is actually writing it down. Writing it down gives you freedom to let your mind explore it even more, because it doesn’t have to work on actually remembering it. If paper isn’t your thing, use a voice recorder, your cell phone’s voicemail, a pda, a rock and chisel… anything so that you can file it somewhere other than your brain.
2. Be descriptive when writing it down
There have also been times where I’ve written an idea down quickly, and then looked at it later and had no idea I was talking about. The more descriptive you are, the better you can get back into your train of thinking when you wrote it down, like picking up where you left off. Also, being more descriptive frees up your brain’s resources to develop the idea even further.
3. Plan for not planning on it
One problem with the way we typically brainstorm is this: it’s unnatural. We bang our heads against the wall while chanting “think, think”. If you’re like me, your brain doesn’t like to be told what to do. The second I sit down and “make” myself be creative, my brain goes on lockdown. Nothing in, nothing out. There’s no such thing as forced creativity.
I’ve found that the best way to allow your mind to form ideas is when I’m doing something else. You have to be ready at anytime to jot something down. I know this point is a lot like #1, but I can’t stress it enough.
4. Good environments matter
Allow yourself time to let your mind breathe and relax. I’ve found that the best times to have idea dumps are when you’re in an aesthetically pleasing environment, or at least one where you’re enjoying yourself. A lot of times the ideas start coming when I’m running, or talking a walk in nice weather. You my find yourself partial to different situations. It really doesn’t matter, just so long as what you’re doing somewhat automated and your mind can freely wander wherever it wants. In short; you’re giving yourself time to daydream.
5. Think big picture down
Ok, so I realize that there will be times when you’ll actually have good ideas when you are forced into brainstorming on a certain problem. A good strategy for finding solutions to a specific problem is always thinking top down. In David Allen’s Getting Things Done, you should always start with asking yourself why you’re doing it. Why are you trying to find the solution? Why is it important? It sounds mind-numbingly simple, but it really helps you focus your thinking on the problem, rather then going off on tangents.
6. Organize your thoughts
Once your ideas have stopped coming, be sure to organize them more coherently once you’re done. This will help you get a better handle on what you’ve discovered, and you’ll remember it better in the long run. (If you were descriptive in writing down your ideas, you’ll find it speeds this process up. ) Once you’ve got them organized, break them into actionable steps ( another component to GTD). You’ll quickly realize what needs to be done next to implement your ideas, in what order, etc.
For me, notecards are my weapon of choice. I always keep a few handy, and I organize my ideas into ideas. If a project has more than one thought to it, I assign it it’s own card. If it’s something simple like a future post title, I put it on the “catch-all” notecard that holds just quick ideas. Later I’ll take the day’s cards and process them further.
7. Know when to stop
Don’t force the issue, man! You could hurt yourself if you’re not careful. If the well of ideas has run dry, pumping it more won’t help. Don’t worry, there will be other times of plenty in terms of ideas. Use what you you’ve been given and start to implement them. Sometimes you won’t get all you need in one dumping session, like this post. Ironically enough, this article was a product of 3 idea dumps, spread over a couple of weeks.
August 11th, 2006 at 4:25 am
[...] Glen over at LifeDev has an interesting post on Idea Dump(ing). [...]
August 14th, 2006 at 3:41 am
[...] 7 Idea Dumping Tips (How to Mangage Diarrhea of the Brain) [...]
August 14th, 2006 at 5:57 am
Idea dumping…
I can vouch for that one. Most of “Memory”, the first Spinneyhead Presents production, fell into place whilst cycling over to my sister’s place in Altrincham….
August 16th, 2006 at 10:09 am
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August 16th, 2006 at 10:51 am
Great post!
Re #1-”Always carry paper”. You make the point that there are many other collection devices-I’d like to mention a couple that I’ve found useful.
My smartphone has a voice recorder, which I’ve found incredibly useful. Many of my best ideas happen while driving–I can pick up the phone and press one button with one hand and dictate memos into the phone.
My wife wanted the same capability but doesn’t have a phone with this feature built in. Two solutions:
1. program speed-dial to call your own voicemail; or
2. I set her up with a voice-mail-to-e-mail solution (many exist free online) since she uses email a lot and voicemail hardly ever.
Also, I get a lot of great ideas in the shower; somebody on one of the Yahoo GTD lists recommended getting a scuba dive clipboard that can be written on in the shower with a pencil, or using a wax pencil on the tiles. I use the diveboard, and it’s incredible.
Now I never forget a good idea no matter where and when I get it.
August 16th, 2006 at 11:36 am
Wow, you’ve taken it to a whole new level with the scuba board :)
I’ll agree with you about the driving. If I have to scribble something down while I’m driving, it’s kind of a hazard. I haven’t messed with the voice-mail to email things yet, but it sounds handy.
August 16th, 2006 at 11:43 am
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August 16th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
Great tips. Number 2 is particularly important for me. I’m always taking incomplete notes and left wondering what the heck I’m supposed to do. Lately I’ve been working on being more specific in my to do lists and meeting notes and it’s a big help.
August 16th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
Nice post. Another idea that I’ve found useful is to keep a lighted pen next to the side of the bed, along with a pad of paper. Rather than getting up when thoughts strike (and turning on a light, going into another room, etc. and upsetting sleep) I just jot it down right there. Of course one has to *do* something with it later, but that’s what GTD excels at.
August 16th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Thanks for the kind words guys.
Jennifer: yeah, I’ve found that the more I can write descriptive things I can write about my ideas, the easier it is to get myself in the “mode of thinking” I was in at the time of writing them.
Matthew: great idea! Not as many points as the scuba board, but that’s a handy tip. I usually just tell myself “I’ll remember it in the morning…”. Yeah right. ;)
August 16th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
So would you call this ‘idearrhea’? Nah, probably not. :)
August 16th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Some nice ideas you got there ;)
August 16th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
[...] Bei LifeDev findet man einige gute Tipps fürs kreative Brainstorming, die auf den folgenden Prinzipien basieren: [...]
August 16th, 2006 at 4:05 pm
[...] Idea dumping is a lot like brainstorming. (I happen to be an expert on idea dumping because I just made the term up 5 minutes ago.). Brainstorming to me is more of a process where you have a problem, and you try and find a solution to it, with the end goal in mind. It’s a great concept in theory–except it never happens that way for me. It seems like whenever I really need a great idea, they are nowhere to be found. Yet when I’m doing something completely unrelated and seemingly unimportant, I’ll be floating in ideas. And when the mind finally does agree to cooperate and turn on, I won’t usually get just one good idea but a bunch of ‘em at a time. When it rains it pours, but it’s a summer in Texas otherwise. [...]
August 16th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Writing brain dumps: you know more than you think…
“7 Idea Dumping Tips (How To Manage Diarrhea of the Brain)” has some great ideas on capturing ideas — always carry paper, and so on. I use brain dumps** when: 1. I feel restless. I’ve learned that this means that…
August 16th, 2006 at 9:30 pm
The hardbound, sewn, 3×5 mini-notebooks with a band closure work best:
Rugged, small enough for the pocket, everything’s together, not deciduous, no detritus.
Slivine topbound is the best, but Moleskine or Poche de Carnet are OK too.
August 16th, 2006 at 9:32 pm
[...] Or ‘How To Manage Diarrhea of the Brain’. Lifedev points out 7 terrific ways to idea dump your way to creative bliss. [...]
August 16th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
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August 17th, 2006 at 8:32 am
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August 17th, 2006 at 10:42 am
Great points. As for #1, I am addicted to my Treo 650. I carry it everywhere, 24/7, even when mowing the lawn. I keep it by my bed so when I wake up at 3am worry about something, I quickly enter notes into my ToDo list and go back to sleep. Pre-Treo, I used to scribble notes on Post-Its and that got to be annoying after awhile.
August 17th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
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August 17th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
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August 17th, 2006 at 11:17 pm
You touched on it, but reviewing these notes is as important as getting them down. I keep a handy dandy little notebook and pen in back pocket all day, and every night get everything I wrote into a wiki and then start anew. I get to go over it again, sleep on it, and get my data in a format that allows for it to be manipulated in every which way (outlook tasks, goals, w/e).
August 18th, 2006 at 12:18 am
Very good!
August 21st, 2006 at 3:46 am
[...] These are some good ideas on how to have good ideas. One problem with the way we typically brainstorm is this: it’s unnatural. We bang our heads against the wall while chanting “think, thinkâ€. If you’re like me, your brain doesn’t like to be told what to do. The second I sit down and “make†myself be creative, my brain goes on lockdown. Nothing in, nothing out. There’s no such thing as forced creativity. [...]
August 21st, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Manage diarrhea of the brain…
Blogger Glen Stansberry offers 7 tried and true tips for capturing ideas from your overactive - yet uncooperative - brain. The second I sit down and “make” myself be creative, my brain goes on lockdown. Nothing in, nothing out. There’s……
August 21st, 2006 at 3:16 pm
The best way to download and manage ideas from your mind is Mindjet’s MindManager software. It goes a step further by allowing you to organize your ideas and assign dates and resources for your tasks. http://www.mindjet.com
August 21st, 2006 at 4:05 pm
[...] If you’re like me, you see opportunities everywhere. You find limitless ways to improve on things, or you’ll have an idea dump and before you know it, you’ve got 5 projects cooking in the skillet, 2 in the oven and about 10 on the backburner. Congratulations, you’re an entrepreneur. [...]
August 21st, 2006 at 4:31 pm
This is one of the best posts I have ever read. I do my best thinking - without fail - on the elliptical at 6:30am, also known as perhaps the least conducive situation during which to record ideas.
I’d also like to second the voice recorder suggestion as an alternative to #1, and the name idearrhea. Well played.
August 21st, 2006 at 5:10 pm
[...] 7 Idea Dumping Tips (How To Manage Diarrhea of the Brain) at LifeDev Good tips. Personally I find sending myself texts (SMSes) is very useful. They’re essentially free on my cellphone plan and I don’t go ANYWHERE without my phone. (tags: GTD lifehacks ideas howto productivity thinking tips creativity calming) [...]
August 21st, 2006 at 10:10 pm
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August 22nd, 2006 at 10:18 am
Good idea with an unfortunately repellant title.
August 22nd, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Excellent article. I have a Moleskine, and when I have it with me, it’s great. Unfortunately, I don’t always have it with me. I wonder how many millions of dollars I have forsaken simply because I didn’t write down my idea!
I need the scuba board - that’s a GREAT addition - I often come up with great ideas in the shower or bath, when my mind is as far from work/creativity as possible. Maybe I can find a shower radio that has a voice recorder? Anyone?
August 24th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
[...] I’ve had a lot on my mind recently. I woke up at 4am this morning and have been thinking about a lot of things; plus, I have a rotation report due tomorrow for my graduate program, which is as good a motivator as any to think about anything and everything not having to do with completing my rotation report. I decided to follow Rule #1 and get myself a Moleskine notebook at the bookstore to limit my inevitable “idearrhea” from day to day. I’ve also been religiously following this suggestion, although not necessarily voluntarily because I can’t whip out the Powerbook as often as I’d need to to forego the marinating (if you have no idea what I’m talking about at this point, click the link and all will be right with the world again), and that marinating that has been going on has really been more of a mental marinade than a written one since until today I haven’t been carrying a Moleskine around. [...]
August 25th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
I’ve been reading Barbara Sher’s Refuse to Choose. She talks about having a dedicated “idea journal” and using it to flesh out ideas whether or not they immediately seem viable. She makes the point that the idea should be explored even if it doesn’t immediately seem like something you would ever really do, because exploring ideas is actually the way people like us have fun. Wow - it’s true!
August 28th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
Thanks for the great overview of your process. I’ve been following something similar but seeing how you do it has answered some questions I’ve had about how effective I could truly be with my “dump”. Keep on rocking!
August 29th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
[...] Great ideas can be a church’s most valuable resource. But getting and keeping such big ideas aren’t typically easy. Fortunately, LifeDev has offered the following seven tips (summarized by Church Relevance) for getting and holding on to great ideas: [...]
September 1st, 2006 at 12:41 pm
[...] Lifedev.net has this really great write-up that discusses idea dumping. [...]
September 1st, 2006 at 4:58 pm
[...] LifeDev offers an article about 7 Idea Dumping Tips: How to Manage Diarrhea of the Brain. When there are moments that ideas are just popping into your head and you need to record them for further exploration later, the 7 tips include: [...]
September 8th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Good post. Title could have been made attractive.
September 9th, 2006 at 1:43 pm
[...] Over at LifeDev Glen Stansberry has a list of 7 tips for getting and keeping big ideas. It’s a great article and well thought out. His 7 tips are: [...]
September 15th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
[...] 7 Ways to Manage Your Time ???? SEO-?????? by vincent @ 11:02 am | Over at LifeDev Glen Stansberry has a list of 7 tips for getting and keeping big ideas. It’s a great article and well thought out. His 7 tips are: [...]
October 11th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
[...] “Idea dumping is a lot like brainstorming. (I happen to be an expert on idea dumping because I just made the term up 5 minutes ago.). Brainstorming to me is more of a process where you have a problem, and you try and find a solution to it, with the end goal in mind. It’s a great concept in theory–except it never happens that way for me. It seems like whenever I really need a great idea, they are nowhere to be found. Yet when I’m doing something completely unrelated and seemingly unimportant, I’ll be floating in ideas. And when the mind finally does agree to cooperate and turn on, I won’t usually get just one good idea but a bunch of ‘em at a time. When it rains it pours, but it’s a summer in Texas otherwise… 1. ALWAYS carry paper It almost always never fails. I’ll have a great idea, I’ll think about it for a while, and never remember it again. Why? I didn’t write it down. Half of having a good idea is actually writing it down. Writing it down gives you freedom to let your mind explore it even more, because it doesn’t have to work on actually remembering it. If paper isn’t your thing, use a voice recorder, your cell phone’s voicemail, a pda, a rock and chisel… anything so that you can file it somewhere other than your brain…” “7 Idea Dumping Tips (How To Manage Diarrhea of the Brain)”LifeDev [...]
October 31st, 2006 at 7:00 am
[...] This post has outlines the following tips for dumping: [...]
November 22nd, 2006 at 12:31 am
[...] So how do we achieve this supreme state? Well, we stimulate the side that tends to be lazier: the right side. Chris at Pearsonified recommends doing stream-of-conscious writing. This is more or less a glorified Idea Dump: writing down whatever poops pops out of your head. Do that for 15 minutes and you should knock any cobwebs out of that lazy right side of the brain. Here’s how you’ll know if it’s working. Your right brain tends to see the entire picture at once, and as a result, it cannot extrapolate minor details in an orderly fashion. If your writing comes out looking pretty refined and cogent, then that’s a good indicator that your left brain is trying to stick its nose where it doesn’t belong. [...]
November 29th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
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January 15th, 2007 at 10:28 am
[...] For me, creativity has always come in fits and starts. I can’t control it, and I certainly can’t predict it. Creativity diarrhea, if you will. It just kind of happens. [...]
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:47 am
[...] Any software maker that understands that there is nothing clean or orderly about writing is way ahead of the game. Ideas don’t come marching single-file into your brain, so having a way to capture and wrestle with them in a single application is worth it’s weight in gold. Or at least $34.99. [...]
February 13th, 2007 at 8:40 am
April 25th, 2007 at 7:23 am
One thing I use for my dumping sessions (that I’m surprised hasn’t been mentioned) is what’s formally known as mindmapping.
Rather than just list out all your ideas, sketch them. Put them in bubbles, and draw forks radiating out with all the ideas that are related to the main idea in the bubble.
(There can be a lot more to it than that, but you get the idea…)
I find it much easier to make sense of my dumps (ahem) later on if I’ve mapped them, as opposed to just writing lines of text.
It’s like instant recall when you see the picture, the layout, and then start reading your notes.
April 25th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
I agree, visualizing your thoughts can sometimes lead to better results. That’s why I like using a pen and paper when I’m doing some hot-n-heavy core dumping. Just letting it all go without any restrictions of software, etc. to get in the way.
April 26th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
[...] love to brainstorm. Granted, it doesn’t always come at the most conveinient times, but when I do get the idea mojo, I don’t want it to stop. This is why it’s crucial to [...]
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:13 am
Just something I came across yesterday… http://bubbl.us . Free on-line mindmapping. Very easy. Fun, too.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Something I use for my idea dumping and organizing my ideas…http://www.managemyideas.com . Great for quickly listing ideas and then developing them when I get the time.
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July 30th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Great post. I too have been writing down: almost for a decade on my mobile phone using the voice recording feature. But despite sharing the tip with friends, not many have adopted todate. So I wish to add, with modern phones the process of capturing ideas become very easy. Record it.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:41 am
[...] Learn to Capture Ideas and How to Manage Diarrhea of the Brain. Sometimes our best ideas come at the worst possible times. These tips will help to make sure none of those precious ideas fall through the cracks. [...]
July 31st, 2007 at 12:09 pm
[...] Learn to Capture Ideas and How to Manage Diarrhea of the Brain. Sometimes our best ideas come at the worst possible times. These tips will help to make sure none of those precious ideas fall through the cracks. [...]
August 5th, 2007 at 10:05 am
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August 18th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
[...] Distractions, such as too many things on the mind. Unload your ideas. [...]
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:00 pm
[...] Learn to Capture Ideas and How to Manage Diarrhea of the Brain. Sometimes our best ideas come at the worst possible times. These tips will help to make sure none of those precious ideas fall through the cracks. [...]
August 28th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
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November 15th, 2007 at 6:02 am
[...] "Wie man mit geistiger Diarrhoe umgeht", heißt ein Artikel auf LiveDev, der Ihnen zeigt, wie Sie am besten Ihre Ideenflut bewältigen können. Nun ja, ich hätte die Überschrift etwas anders formuliert, seis drum. Hier die Vorschläge (Kommentare von mir): [...]
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December 5th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
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December 10th, 2007 at 4:02 am
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April 14th, 2008 at 7:03 am
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May 5th, 2008 at 9:26 am
[...] 5: Establish an “idea box” so that you don’t get overwhelmed trying to keep all of your ideas in your brain. An [...]
June 27th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
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July 17th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
[...] a block of time to think, an idea will surely come. This hardly ever happens. Ideas usually come when you least expect them. One never knows when an idea will happen, and odds are it will be at the worst time. That’s [...]