Over the past several months, I have been practicing a new habit: whenever I have a ‘good’ idea, I write it down. (‘Good’ being used very loosely.)
This is a very simple procedure but it seems to have several benefits. First, I began noticing that I remembered having a ‘good’ idea but not being able to remember what it was. I now notice this behavior much more strikingly and it causes some small amount of distressing thinking about what I might have forgotten. Writing it down relieves that worry. Second, I can refer back to it later. So far nothing significant has come out of this, but I like having the option and I have gone back to note that some of my once-though ‘good’ ideas don’t hold up on second thought. This is useful information about yourself to have. Third, it encourages me to have more good ideas. For a while I tried to write down one a day (possibly using a long-term ‘cached’ idea I had been floating for a while if I didn’t have anything good that day). Fourthly, writings things down even just for myself helps me to really get a clear idea of it.
I’m sure there are many suggestions which are similar to this or encompass it. Obviously this is similar to having a journal and probably shares some of the benefits. This has the advantage of being extremely simple and takes hardly any time at all and is only done when it has an obvious benefit.
Getting Things Done suggests writing down everything you need to do as soon as you realize you need to do it, and this can include following up on good ideas.
Over the past several months, I have been practicing a new habit: whenever I have a ‘good’ idea, I write it down. (‘Good’ being used very loosely.)
This is a very simple procedure but it seems to have several benefits. First, I began noticing that I remembered having a ‘good’ idea but not being able to remember what it was. I now notice this behavior much more strikingly and it causes some small amount of distressing thinking about what I might have forgotten. Writing it down relieves that worry. Second, I can refer back to it later. So far nothing significant has come out of this, but I like having the option and I have gone back to note that some of my once-though ‘good’ ideas don’t hold up on second thought. This is useful information about yourself to have. Third, it encourages me to have more good ideas. For a while I tried to write down one a day (possibly using a long-term ‘cached’ idea I had been floating for a while if I didn’t have anything good that day). Fourthly, writings things down even just for myself helps me to really get a clear idea of it.
I’m sure there are many suggestions which are similar to this or encompass it. Obviously this is similar to having a journal and probably shares some of the benefits. This has the advantage of being extremely simple and takes hardly any time at all and is only done when it has an obvious benefit.
Getting Things Done suggests writing down everything you need to do as soon as you realize you need to do it, and this can include following up on good ideas.