Let it flow, let it flow, let it flow…

The saying “no idea is a bad idea” is both so true and so very wrong all at the same time.

I mean, that time I thought I’d save time by warming by (ready-made) custard in the microwave, not in a bowl, but in it’s foil-lined packet… that was not a good idea. Or that time I decided to walk along the path but take a short cut down the muddy hill in old, grip-less trainers… also not a good idea. Or that time I decided to play girls v boys full contact rugby and broke my funny bone with the first tackle… was most definitely not a good idea (and not at all funny either before someone says it).

So as long as you’re not putting yourself in danger or injuring yourself can all idea be good ideas? Well, honestly, probably not. But that is not to say that all ideas cannot lead to good ideas and that’s what I’m considering today – how to inspire and foster ideas and creativity.

For me personally it’s just about capturing inspiration when it strikes – wherever and whenever that could be. For some reason most of the time, for me, that’s in the shower which is why I take the phone into the bathroom with me and have the notes section open. I believe it’s because that’s the only time when I’m not doing anything else and my mind goes blank – leaving it open to ideas. I can’t count the number of blogs I’ve written in the shower (not this one though, I’m dry and fully clothed for this one!) so it’s obviously my creative space.

For some larger companies’, creativity is a department, it’s specific people dedicated to churning out creative ideas and honestly, the thought of that fills me with dread. I know in larger organisations those structures are necessary and they work hard to foster a culture where ideas are valued and welcomed – very much under the ‘no idea is a bad idea’ banner. For smaller businesses that’s just not viable and putting aside specific ‘creative’ time can be incredibly overwhelming.

I know for me personally that sometimes I have a hundred blog ideas, they words flow and I’ve got them stacked up and scheduled for 6 weeks out… and sometimes I can be staring at a blank page, desperate to find words that might be vaguely interesting to other people, knowing I have a black space in my posting schedule. What I do know is that turning out content for the sake of it is almost worse than creating nothing and you really can’t force good – you need time, space and inspiration to create the sort of content that you’ll be proud of.

So how do you foster an environment where you can be creative, without pressure, and without taking away from your day-to-day business. The trick is not think in a silo way, it’s to merge creativity with your normal working. When you’re inspired with an idea – write it down, keep a list of blog topics you want to cover then when you have proper time write them out in detail. Keep a notebook beside your bed or the shower or wherever your inspiration space is to jot anything down. Try not to panic if you’re blank – it’s better to produce nothing and wait for great ideas than produce medicore for the sake of it.

Find your inspiration where you can – and take notes. The let it flow.

P.S. If you do take quick notes make sure they’re clear, I can’t count the number of times I’ve just written an idea for a title, looked back later and had no idea what I was thinking or where I was going with it!