Select the area that you would like to generate the idea in.  Define it clearly and be as specific as possible.Is it blog post ideas, local business ideas?

Step 1. Choose an area

An idea is a connection between two concepts.Steve Jobs said that creativity is just connecting things. When you understand that and think of ideas in that way, the process of generating ideas will seem a lot less intimidating.

What ideas are

To generate great ideas, look around for clues. <ul><li>You can deduce the reasons why something is successful by asking the relevant people why they like it.</li><li>If it is an unexpectedly successful blog post, read the comments. </li><li>Observe. People often are not able to accurately articulate why they like something.</li></ul>

Step 3. Understand why they succeed

Pick out the best ideas and start analyzing them. Eliminate until you have about 10 ideas left.Use the great ideas and see how they perform.

Step. 5. Pick the best ideas

Set roughly 45 minutes aside, where you only write down ideas about the area that you have chosen. Don't worry about how bad the ideas seem. Just write them down. Do this for about 10 days.

Step 4. Have an idea quota

Look for surprisingly successful things. Look for the things that look out-of-place in the area that you've chosen, but are performing above expectations.

Step 2. Find the unexpected successes 

The strangest thing about the process of generating ideas, is that there seems to be a commonly held belief that it is some sort of mystical process, one that is only reserved for the likes of 'visionaries' and mad scientists.

productivity

Productivity

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

problemsolving

Problem Solving

timemanagement

Time Management

How to Consistently Come Up with Great Ideas

The Pareto Principle referred to the observation that 80% of Italy’s wealth belonged to only 20% of the population.

History Of Pareto Principle.

There’s a common misconception that the numbers 20 and 80 must add to 100 — they don’t!<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">20% of the workers could create 10% of the result. Or 50%. Or 80%. Or 99%, or even 100%.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">In a group of 100 workers, 20 could do all the work while the other 80 goof off. In that case, 20% of the workers did 100% of the work.</li></ul>Remember that the 80/20 rule is a rough guide about typical distributions.The key point is that most things in life (effort, reward, output) are not distributed evenly — some contribute more than others.

But First, Don’t Get Twisted.

The point of the Pareto principle is to recognize that most things in life are not distributed evenly.Make decisions on allocating time, resources and effort based on this:<ul><li>Instead of spending 1 hour drafting a paper you’re not sure is needed, spend 10 minutes thinking of ideas. Then spend 50 minutes writing about the best one.</li><li>Instead of agonizing 3 hours on a single design, make 6 layouts (30 minutes each) and pick your favorite.</li></ul>

This may not be the best strategy in every case

It may be true that 80% of the Mona Lisa was painted in the first 20% of the time, but it wouldn’t be the masterpiece it is without all the details.

When you are seeking top quality, you need all 100%!

It can mean all of the following things:<ul><li>20% of the input creates 80% of the result.</li><li>20% of the workers produce 80% of the result.</li><li>20% of the customers create 80% of the revenue.</li></ul>

Pareto Principle is the observation, not law.

The Pareto Principle helps you realize that the majority of results come from a minority of inputs.The point is to realize that you can often focus your effort on the 20% that makes a difference, instead of the 80% that doesn’t add much.

So Why Is This Useful?

Time management and making priorities might be painful and these might be blockers to your success. The Pareto Principle might give you the refreshers as a new perspective.

strategy

Strategy

education

Learning & Education

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Understanding the Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule)

Use your own definition of fun to create a reward system that motivates you to start on a task.Once you start working, you’ll usually gather enough momentum and motivation to continue working.

🎲 Make work fun

Things in life are impermanent.Bad times don’t last, so look forward to the end of it.Good times will pass too, so cherish them while they last. Your current motivational slump will pass, so look forward to the end of it. In the meanwhile, you just have to keep getting things done.

😌 This, too, shall pass.

Sprinting with other writers was fun. The typing noises rarely stopped until the timer was up, so I also felt compelled to continue typing.However, you don’t always have to work with people you know. In fact, if your friends don’t have enough discipline to focus when it’s time to work, you might also get distracted.If I can’t find people to study with, I personally prefer going to a library for the “disciplined and focused” study vibes. A cafe also works if I want to work for a long time and need to eat along the way.

👯‍♀️ Build off other people’s energy

During in-person writing sprints in Taipei, we used dice to determine the sprint duration.If there were four people and we all rolled a 4, we would sprint for 16 minutes with two rules:<ul><li>Focus. No switching to other tabs or checking social media.</li><li>Sprint. No editing or self-doubt—type your words as fast as possible in the time given.</li></ul> I usually squeeze 300 words out of every sprint—three times more than when I write alone or have a normal Pomodoro session.

Example of "making work fun"

Every Tuesday, I send out a newsletter that shares at least one idea that has helped me design and live an intentional life.For every self-growth concept I share, I strive to find examples and stories from my own life. This newsletter issue was inspired by my writing sprints in Taipei!<a href="https://teaforthought.ck.page/tea">Come learn with me :)</a>

If you liked what you've read...

remotework

Remote Work

habits

Habits

How to find motivation to work

<ul><li>Friday is a good time to think about what Future You should be doing.</li><li>Make a short, three-category priority list.</li><li>Career, relationships, self.</li><li>Think about what you would most like to accomplish in these three categories by the end of the upcoming week.</li></ul>

1. Plan your upcoming week

<ul><li>Small tasks like filling out forms, responding to non-urgent invitations, paying bills, etc. don't take much time.</li><li>Save these tasks for Friday and do them in one fell swoop. You'll feel like a machine as you power through your list.</li></ul>

Work through your punch list

<ul><li>Don't schedule many meetings or events on Fridays.</li><li>Leave your calendar as blank as possible.</li><li>Create a resilient schedule.</li><li>Have some open space so if something unexpected comes up Monday through Thursday, then you've always got a spot to put it on Friday.</li></ul>

2. Absorb the overflow

Take an unconventional approach to having a great weekend and keep Monday blues at bay.

career

Career

Tempted to take it easy on Fridays? Use them to set yourself up for success instead

<ul>
<li>Keep only the things you use daily within reach. </li>
<li>Store everything else off of your desk. </li>
<li>Try limiting personal decorations to just 3 items or less.</li>
<li>Hide supplies and tools strategically behind your monitor or under your desk. </li>
<li>Clear cable clutter with ties and other tools.</li>
</ul>

Organize Your Desk

<ul>
<li>Indoor plants prevent fatigue during attention-demanding work. </li>
<li>Even just having a window view of live greenery can be restorative and keep us focused.</li>
<li>A peace lily plant requires little sunlight to survive and you only have to water it when the soil is dried out and is also great for cleaning the air.</li>
<li>Cacti and aloe plants are other low-maintenance plants to consider.</li>
</ul>

Office Plants

Your desk should ideally let you type on a keyboard with your arms and hands roughly parallel to the floor, your feet flat on the floor, and your legs fitting comfortably under the desk when sitting (you should be able to comfortably cross your legs under the surface).

The Ideal Desk Height

It's hard to drown all that out when you're trying to work. 
A good pair of noise-canceling headphones could help. Pair it with soothing background music from Jazz and Rain, your favorite video game soundtrack playlist on YouTube, or coffeehouse-like background music. The latter taps into research that suggests ambient noise can increase creativity.

Office Sound

The keyboard should:<ul><li>be close enough to your body so you can hold your elbows comfortably by your sides.</li><li>be low enough that your arms are roughly parallel to the floor and your wrists are flat or angled downwards.</li></ul>Make sure the mouse is a comfortable size for your hands. If it's too big or too small, you might end up bending your wrist in awkward positions.

Keyboard and Mouse

When you spend hours at your desk every day, even the smallest features of your workspace – such as the position of your monitor or the height of your chair– can greatly affect your productivity and even your health.
With a few adjustments you can improve your working environment and keep your desk from killing you.

Your workspace matters

Here's what to look for in an ergonomic office chair:<ul><li>Lumbar support: The curve in the back of the chair should support your lower spine, following the natural curve of your lower back.</li><li>Seat depth: Chairs that fit your body will allow you to sit comfortably with your lower back against the lumbar support while also leaving an inch or two between the back of your knees and the seat.</li><li>Chair height: You should be able to adjust the height of the chair so your feet are flat on the floor or on a footrest.</li><li>Armrests: Armrests should be at the proper height so your shoulders aren't hunched and you can keep your arms parallel to the floor.</li><li>Recline-ability: Reclining in your chair, at about 135 degrees, may be better for your spine than sitting straight up at a 90 degree angle.</li></ul>

Ergonomic Chairs

<ul>
<li>Red is energizing and warming, stimulates our pulses, and can be perceived as aggressive</li>
<li>Blue can stimulate thought and aid in concentration and communication, but some might see it as cold and unemotional</li>
<li>Yellow is stimulating and lifts spirits, but the wrong tone of it can make you feel anxious</li>
<li>Green is a reassuring, balancing color, but, depending on how it's used, can be perceived as bland</li>
<li>Violet encourages contemplation, but too much of it could bring about too much introspection</li>
</ul>

Workspace Colors

Remember to take breaks for your eyes.
<ul>
<li>Look at something 20 feet away</li>
<li>for 20 seconds</li>
<li>every 20 minutes to protect your eyes.</li>
</ul>

The 20-20-20 rule

Cornell University researchers found that by increasing office temperature from 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (20° to 25° Celsius), workers' typing errors fell by 44 percent, and they were able to type 150 percent more.
If you can't control the temperature in your office, there's always the "wear a sweater" option or getting a small fan if your workspace is too warm.

Workspace Temperature

<ul>
<li>Orange is stimulating and fun, but too much of it can be overwhelming</li>
<li>Pink is soothing but too much can be draining</li>
<li>Gray is neutral, psychologically, and can be depressing unless the right tone is used</li>
<li>Black is serious and sophisticated, but can be heavy</li>
<li>White gives a heightened perception of space but can be a strain to look at</li>
<li>Brown is a serious color, but warmer than black and is solid and supportive</li>
</ul>

<ul>
<li>The best kind of light you can have in your office is natural light. It helps our bodies maintain our internal "clocks" or circadian rhythms which affects our sleep and energy. </li>
<li>Poor lighting, whether it's dim lighting or harsh lighting from overhead fluorescent lights, can cause eye strain, stress, and fatigue.</li>
<li>Don't sit with your back to a window unless you can shade it.</li>
<li>Don't sit facing a window because that will make reading a monitor difficult. </li>
<li>If you use a task lamp at your desk, position it so the bottom of the lampshade is at about the height of your chin when it's on.</li>
</ul>

Optimal Workspace Lighting

<ul><li>Keep your monitor or laptop screen between 20 and 40 inches in front of you. You do not you want to be forced to lean forward.</li><li>Make sure the top line of the screen is at or below your eye level. </li><li>Don't tilt the monitor more than 10 to 20 degrees. More than that and objects on the screen might be difficult to read.</li><li>Place the monitor perpendicular to windows. This will help avoid eye-straining glare.</li></ul>

Proper Monitor Placement

Leave work feeling satisfied with what you’ve accomplished, with help of a few “productivity hacks”.

books

Books

health

Health

Productivity Hacks

When you spend hours at your desk every day, even the smallest features of your workspace-such as the position of your monitor or the height of your chair-can greatly affect your productivity and even your health. Here's what science says about the best way to set up...

How to Consistently Come Up with Great Ideas

Understanding the Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule)

How to find motivation to work

It's time to
Read like a Pro.

Tempted to take it easy on Fridays? Use them to set yourself up for success instead

CURATED BY

How to Consistently Come Up with Great Ideas

Understanding the Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule)

How to find motivation to work

It's time to Read like a Pro.

Tempted to take it easy on Fridays? Use them to set yourself up for success instead

CURATED BY

It's time to
Read like a Pro.