How to Manage Idea Overwhelm
Do you ever feel completely tangled? You know, that feeling when you have ideas, which are intertwined with goals and mixed with to-do lists, and oh another amazing idea just popped up, and, and and….
Phew!
It can go on and on and each little thread begins to feel more constricting both mentally and physically. Before you know it, you don’t know which direction you want to go anymore and every new bit of information or idea makes things feel more complicated and overwhelming.
Deep breathe after all of that…
As creatives, we see potential everywhere and sometimes we just can’t turn our idea engine off, which can be so exhausting. Like a kid in a candy shop, when motivation hits or when a new idea comes to us, we want to dive right in as fast as we can (even if we were deep into a different project at the time).
The good news is, there is a solution to this madness and I’m here to break it all down for you. Two simple steps can bring you clarity and some room to breathe.
First, get those ideas out of your head! When all our (fabulous) ideas are swirling about in our heads, it’s impossible to keep up with them all and conceptualize them in a clear way, so we must get them out! Here’s how…
Have a dedicated area to write out your ideas and capture creativity wherever you go. This could look like an idea notebook, a dedicated white-board area, index cards, the notes app on your phone, etc. Post-it notes are wonderful, but they can easily get scattered about, so try to think of one place to keep all your ideas.
Talk it out. By golly, if we haven’t learned the power of connection and collaboration yet, when will we ever? Talking out our ideas with someone you trust is sooooo helpful because they have fresh eyes and a different perspective. One great way to do this is to work with a coach (ahem, like me) who creates a supportive, encouraging, safe place to brainstorm and talk through what’s coming up. This is also a great opportunity for accountability and thought partnership, it’s also a wonderful way to collaborate and make a plan.
Second, take a lot of breaks - your brain will thank you. Get outside, enjoy the fresh air, move your body a bit. Make a cup of tea, light incense, bring in all the cozy vibes, switch gears and do something else for a while. Using something like the Pomodoro Technique or time blocks can also be incredibly powerful. This is one huge reason I continue to make items for my shop, because it’s a wonderful side project when I need a break from the computer and my thoughts.
The bottom line, is we need to do things that will loosen up our thoughts and get things moving in a more focused, sustainable way. I’m including a few worksheets that may help you organize your thoughts even further. Please enjoy my Project Lists, Weekly Planner and Current Projects worksheets.