We all have great ideas, but finding them is the difficult part. When you can’t think of an article to write, a way to attract more readers, or the next chapter of your book, you’re suffering from a mind block. What do I do, is the question you might ask yourself. It is important to get you thinking, get your mind in motion. Here are ten steps to keep you innovating.
1. Newspapers/Magazines
Pick up a few newspapers and magazines and start flipping through pages. Search everything including advertisements and classifieds. Read the articles that are really interesting. The New York Post always offers an odd article and their cartoons are great. Cartoons can even help you relate to something and come up with an idea.
2. Blogs
There is pretty much a blog on everything. Search blogs similar to the content you offer. Read the RSS feeds of your favorite blogs. Maybe find a new blog in a completely different field. All these will help you create ideas.
3. Books
Read something. Learn about something you never knew about. Getting knowledge on a new subject will create a lot of opportunities.
4. Music
Insert the mixtape that you love and groove to. Music is motivational, inspirational and symbolic. If you don’t think of something while you’re listening and bopping your head, you might learn something within the lyrics.
5. Phone a friend
Call someone you can talk to and also listen to. Ask them about problems they have been facing or if they have anything exciting to talk about. They might say one thing and it will click for you.
6. Ask the audience
This is starting to sound like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire! In all serious though, ask your audience. Bloggers, write a post asking the readers what they want to see from you. Ask for feedback. Let them know what you want to do and ask for ideas. Remember that the readers are the one’s keeping you going, so they will love that.
7. Go for a walk
Fresh air is a beautiful thing. Take deep breaths of it. Get your blood flowing and the ideas will come too.
8. Meditate
Just relax and let go. Go to another place. Come back once that innovation wakes you up.
9. Eat
Mmm…cheeseburger and french fries. According to The Thinking Business, proteins and carbohydrates are essential in business. They explain that carbohydrates leave you feeling “calm and relaxed†and proteins “improve mental performanceâ€. After a good meal, your brain will be back on track.
10. Get your mind off it completely
If nothing seems to be working for you, it might be because you give yourself no down time. You give your work time, but you don’t give yourself time. YOU time is extremely important because it gets your mind off your work. You have been working so hard being innovative that you exhausted your resources. Go to the movies, play a sport, watch some movies, and then when you return to your work the next day you will feel refreshed and ready to exhaust yourself again.
You know what to do now. You have ten ways to get innovative. Now do it!
Alex Monroe is the founder of GetYourBizSavvy.com, a source for entrepreneurs featuring interviews with leading entrepreneurs from around the world.