7 Ideas for Capturing Inspiration
Sep 12th, 07 | 2 remarksWhy is it when inspiration hits, we’re often caught totally off guard? Why do some of the best ideas surface right before we drift off to sleep, when we’re too tired to get up and write them down? Or worse, in the car when we can’t write them down?
Capturing your ideas is often the most difficult part of actually having them. Well, it is for me anyway. For many, getting into a habit of perpetual readiness can be just as tough. These suggestions might help:
- Carry a Moleskine - Old school maybe, but carrying a simple notebook has never failed me yet. There are two sizes and many styles to choose from, including lined, squared and blank. Toss it in your laptop case, purse, diaper bag - whatever. :) Don’t forget to set it on your nightstand when you go to bed so you can scribble down ideas that inevitably come after you’ve called it a day.
- Keep some pens handy - It won’t do any good to carry a notebook if you don’t have something to write with, and if you’re like me you lose pens, lighters and chapstick like nobody’s business! Get yourself one of those pens you can attach to a key chain, put another pen in the dash of your car, one in your bag, etc. If you use a Moleskine, slide your pen onto the elastic enclosure (or even the binder) and it’ll usually stay put.
- Leave yourself a voicemail - If you have a land-line, and you’re out and about when an idea hits, call yourself at home (or at work) from your mobile and leave a quick voicemail. It’s a painless way capture an idea quick.
- Text yourself - Don’t have a land-line? (Yeah, me either.) No worries. If you have a web enabled cellphone, you may want to sign up with a service like Mindjot. The same concept applies - capture an idea with your cellphone, and access it later on your computer. Of course, you could always email yourself too. ;)
- Take a picture - Most mobile phones these days have a built in camera. It may not be the best way to articulate an idea to yourself later, but in a pinch it’ll do the trick, and it’s even quicker than leaving yourself a voicemail.
- Print the screen - If you’re already on your machine, capturing ideas is a lot easier. By simply using your printscreen key (or better yet, software like Snagit), you can effectively record your inspiration, drop it in Photoshop, and add a note to it there.
- Use a Web App - Sites like MyStickies or Fleck allow you to quickly add notes to any web page, while sites like Backpack and Stikipad, allow you to enter all kinds of info which is taggable and searchable. All good choices for helping you remember ideas later.
RE #3: It works good calling Skype voicemail too and then having a plugin like Pamela that will turn the voicemail into a podcast automatically. Any time you want to post a podcast, it’s as easy as just calling your voicemail.
Last time I checked the Skype Pamela plugin (of which I have no affiliation) was like $25-30 and Skype voicemail is like $30 a year.
With this setup one could not only capture inspiration, but share it as a podcast close to the moment that it happens :)
Sep 12, 07 | 4:19 pmGreat blog. I really liked it. I have also created a lens in same niche. This is my first time, hope u guys like it. Here’s a brief intro: Charity fund raising can show philanthropy by having the donor involved in the decision making process of where the charity funds will be spent. In modern times, more charity organizations are trying to think more outside the box in garnering interest to contribute money. Anyone can do a bake sale, a car wash, or a church rummage sale. But how about something unique, something that has never been tried before? For more detail visit here: http://www.squidoo.com/charity-and-philanthropy/
Sep 13, 07 | 1:21 am