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My family and I recently vacationed along the northern coast of California. This picture was taken during that visit.
Spending time along the ocean is one of my best innovation environments. Although I was not working during this trip, just spending time in that environment created dozens of new ideas for my business.
The spot where I took that picture is 900 miles away today, but I can recreate that innovative environment right now by visualizing the experience of walking along the Pacific Ocean. I can recreate the images, sounds and the smell of the ocean breeze whenever I want to stimulate my creative energy.
Here are five tips I use regularly to identify and develop new ideas for my business.
1. Find your Innovation Environment and go there often. Spending time near the ocean is a fantastic place for my creative thinking activities. I’ve also discovered that most quiet outdoor locations help me identify many innovative ideas. So, I visit parks, hike along trails through the woods, or sit on the bank of a river to spark new ideas.
I’ve worked with other people who find that the opposite environment is their best creative location. They prefer busy malls, coffee shops and amusement parks. An entrepreneur friend of mine regularly says “I’m going to Joe’s coffee to get some new ideas!”
We are all unique and respond differently to similar environments. It is important that you discover what environment is best for your creativity. Keep a journal of where you are and what you are doing when you have great ideas. Study this journal to identify patterns that help you identify your perfect innovation environment.
2. Use Visualization when you can’t physically go to your environment. My recent vacation provides vivid memories of our visit to the California coast. I can now visualize myself along the Pacific Ocean any time I choose. This visualization helps me solve problems and create new ideas that will expand my business.
As you discover your own innovation environment, visualize that setting to help generate creative ideas.
3. Schedule “Innovation Blocks” every week. I realize you already have a full schedule and can’t imagine blocking time for innovation. But, the ideas you develop during these “innovation sessions” can have a dramatic impact on your business. Commit to at least one or two blocks of time each week to focus on generating creative ideas. Do this for a few weeks and I’m confident you will see a huge return on your investment of time.
4. Remove Distractions during your innovation sessions. Turn of your email notifications, phone and other electronic distractions. Go to your innovation environment or a quiet place where you can visualize that environment. If you have to stay in your office, put a “do not disturb – Innovation In Progress” sign on your door to avoid interruptions.
5. Record Every Idea you discover. Whenever you think of an idea, record it immediately. You can record using paper/pencil, a whiteboard, a voice recording app in your smartphone, or any other recording device. There’s nothing more frustrating than forgetting a great idea that was not recorded.
Start applying these tips today to begin identifying valuable ideas for your business. Please share your thoughts in the comment section.