Freelance advice

So many ideas, so little time: how to make choices

If your brain works similar to mine, you probably recognise this: so many ideas, so little time. So, which ideas do you start working on and which do you leave behind? Because they all seem equally interesting. I share with you my system that I have not shared before, and which works perfectly for me:

My post-it or trash it-system:

1. Collect your ideas

Do you have ideas popping up in your brain all the time? Make sure you have post-it notes (sticky notes) everywhere. I have one on my bedside table, at my desk, in the bathroom (I get my best ideas in the shower), in the living room and in my bag. I scribble briefly on a sticky note what my idea is.

2. Stick them on the wall

On the wall in my studio, I have two lists: ‘ideas’ and ♡ (heart symbol). I stick all post-its under ‘ideas’, no matter how crazy they seem.

3. Select and trash

After a while, I look at the sticky notes again. I ask myself the question with each idea/sticky note: “is this something I really want to do, or do I think I have to do it?”.
Very often I think I have to do something, just because I can. Yes, I can develop an entire stationery line, but do I really want to do that? Is it in line with what I ultimately want to achieve? As Neil Gaiman said: “Does this bring me closer to the mountain?“.
If not, the sticky note goes in the waste basket. Does the idea give me a good feeling? Then it can go under ♡

4. Create a step-by-step plan

Now that I have been very selective with my ideas, I can look again at what is under the heart. If I am excited about something, even if it has been there for a month, I will figure out how to implement the idea. What steps are needed? By breaking it down into steps, I make it manageable to carry out.

Good luck and please let me know in the comments below if this system works for you too!

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