Digital Cleanse Day 5:
Idea City Method
Good news! You live in Idea City. At any moment, you may be inspired with a bright idea or simply remember a task that needs doing. To avoid distracting yourself trying to remember the idea, put all your ideas in one place. The goal is to document the idea, inspiration or task so you don’t forget. By writing it down, you improve your focus on your current task.
What I call the Idea City Method, is not a new productivity idea. I’ve heard variations discussed by many students and writers. By following three simple steps, you increase your productivity.
- Capture any idea as it occurs to you. Just jot it down quickly and continue with your current task. Capture personal and professional ALL in one place.Once the idea is documented forget about it until step 2.
- Schedule 30 – 60 minutes every day to review your idea notes. Take immediate action on any item that can be completed in the time available.
- Schedule time to execute more complex tasks. Make an appointment with yourself to pay your bills, get a haircut or review the proofs of your new book. Simply moving the idea to your calendar means you’re done with that item for the today.
As with other steps in the digital cleanse, how to capture your ideas is a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer a digital solution while others go analog with pen and paper.
There are a wide range of digital solutions. Evernote, Google Drive, Basecamp and many other applications. Use the one that works for you and your workflow.
Analog solutions are varied, too. You can use a scrap of paper, loose-leaf paper or a notebook. I must admit to a deep love of pretty notebooks so I’ve always got a few in my desk drawer. I prefer pencil and I’ve seen my friend Joyelle Brandt use a full rainbow of colored pens.
I must admit I’m a little bit sneaky in my execution of the Idea City Method. I use pencil in a notebook to capture my ideas. However, my notebook is a specially formatted Evernote notebook from Moleskine. My quick scribbles and sketches can always be converted to digital notes, when needed.
More on the 30 day #digitalcleanse tomorrow. Hope to see you then!
(If you missed yesterday’s instalment, take a couple extra minutes to explore Dedicated Devices. For links to the complete Digital Cleanse series, click here.)