Ideas Not Flowing? Here Are 7 Ways To Overcome Planners Block
Sometimes creativity flows like a mountain stream and you can cherry pick ideas left and right. Other times, it might seem like you’re trekking through the desert trying to find water. If your mind is blank and you’re plan is non-existent, don’t despair!
There are several reasons to experience planners block. Maybe you’re noggin is over-taxed from the amount of work you’re doing, or personal reasons may be weighing on your focus and creative brainstorming. Whatever is causing your lack of ideas, you can overcome it and be back to your brilliant self in no time.
Here are our 7 easy ways we think could help you overcome your planner’s block.
Go Outside
Fresh air and a new view can do tons for your perspective, focus and creativity. Take a walk, rake leaves, or just sit at a coffee shop and people watch.
Keep your attention in the moment away from any planning, technology devices (laptop, cell phones) and experience your surroundings. When you return to planning, you’ll be surprised how well ideas start flowing and the focus you regained.
Exposing yourself to the environment helps restore your mental state and energy and that elicit feeling of awe when experiencing natural beauty is one of the surest ways to experience a mental boost in energy. Try it!
Eliminate Distractions
Distractions are everywhere! It is nearly impossible to turn off all distractions because your thoughts can become distracting and off track as well. It just depends how bad you don‘t want to work.
Start by clearing your surroundings and work space. Identify things that collaborate with your thinking and what doesn't such as background music, TV, radio, etc. You know what you work best with.
Focus your attention on churning up great ideas and you’ll see how creative you really are.
Highperformance created a list of 11 efficient ways to eliminate distractions and regain your focus.
Check it out and see what works for you.
Play A Game
Surprisingly this works! Give yourself a break here and there from your planning to clear your mind and bring back your creative state. Play a game on your phone, board game with friends, cards, or outdoor recreational games such as Frisbee or basketball.This mental break will re-energize your productivity.
According to MSUTODAY video game playing has been shown to be tied to a creativity boost.
Linda Jackson, professor of psychology and lead researcher on the project, said the study appears to be the first evidence-based demonstration of a relationship between technology use and creativity.
About 72 percent of U.S. households play video or computer games, according to the Entertainment Software Association.
Take A Nap
Maybe you’re just zapped and you need a refresher. If you’re home or have a nap space in your office, lie down for an hour and catch some z’s, if you are feeling tired or drained that is your body telling you that you need more sleep.
If you are in a space where you can’t take a quick rest, try meditating, even if it’s only for a brief moment. This is a great way to give your body and MIND a quick recharge to presume your day.
Write It Out
Set a timer for twenty minutes, brainstorm everything that comes to your mind and write it down. Most people are visual learners, so it helps clear the chaos in your mind and put it on paper so you can visual see your thoughts to eliminate good ideas verse bad ones.
Use this list to develop new ideas and grow them into something tangible for your event.
Talk to Someone
Most people are fast to doubt themselves or put down their ideas by labeling them as “stupid” or “boring”. Talk to a friend or colleague to bounce ideas off one another and confirm what ideas could actually work and ones you should toss. It is always helpful to share with someone else and they might have some ideas as well to develop other possibilities worth trying.
Instructional Designer, Nick Leffler talks about what sharing ideas at work does for peoples’ creativity and how you can benefit from it for planning events.
Nick Leffler says that by sharing your ideas out loud and to others you can connect to ideas in new ways, receive ideas from others, stimulate your thinking, and discover diverse innovations.
You can read the rest of the article here.
Turn to Online For Inspiration
In today’s digital world you have something that later planners never had, the internet! So utilize it! Turn to motivational quotes, creative blogs and articles online to grow your ideas or get better ones. Podcasts are also a big way to learn in depth about a topic if you find something worth exploring more of.
Planner’s block is a problem, but it doesn’t have to derail you from thinking up a fresh, outstanding idea. Use these ideas as tools and they will spark your creativity so you can plan your best event yet!
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