Be An Intrepid Marketer – Recommendation No. 21
Sometimes you just stumble onto something that works…
It’s not a new idea, or a new concept, it’s just something I accidentally did. And it’s working.
When I need to get creative – to think about messaging or a new design concept, I need quiet time to think and brainstorm with myself. Oftentimes I sit around my office and jot down ideas on my whiteboard.
But, as fate would have it, I started doing what I now jokingly call my “marketing meditation” hour! This is where I get to a quiet place – with nothing but a comfortable chair and my moleskine notebook – and think. I shut off the computer and turn off the phones.
I don’t know if I am actually meditating – cuz when I actually come up with a cool idea I will pause and write it down in my notebook. But I am going to call it that whether anyone likes it or not!
And I just sit there for an hour. Doing nothing – nothing but thinking about an ongoing and/or upcoming project that require a little creativity.
Usually, I am easily distracted by the phone or a pinging blackberry – and I lose concentration and current thoughts. I really have to force myself to remove those distractions. And it’s hard…
I have read for a long time that doing things like this helps remove stress, recharges mental batteries, etc. I think for me, it is really just disciplining myself not to let the phone or email distract me. But I am so pleased with the results when I perform this exercise – I really do achieve some fresh ideas and new thinking.
Point is, we all need to find a way to put ourselves in our own creative mode. For some, it’s exercise. For others, it’s brainstorming with others. Find your way.
What strategy do you employ when you need some creative thinking?
