Generating Ideas.

So you've been given a topic to present. You are responsible for creating the title and then writing a paragraph that explains what your session will contain.  The deadline is tomorrow. 

That's when it happens. 

Complete system shut-down. 

Your brain is doing what ever brains do that is the equivalent of hand-wringing.  It is not functioning.  Your heart isn't much help either, because it is pumping at 40 times the normal rate.  And let's not even talk about the somersaults going on in the pit of your stomach. 

What to do?  Find something that you are interested in and pay attention to it.  That’s right.  Do not force yourself to doggedly sit in your chair and produce.  Ask a writer.  Do you think they can cure writer’s block by locking themselves in a room and squeezing the ideas out of their head? It just doesn’t work.   

What you need is inspiration, ideas, exposure and an angle.  And often they come from the oddest places.  And yes, I am the first to admit that sometimes it takes that last minute burst of adrenaline to get the creative juices going, but often it just takes a change of scenery.  Go to a movie, watch a cartoon, walk your dog, get up and out.  Sometimes you might find inspiration in the produce section of your grocery store. (Did I mention I did a presentation called "The Peach versus The Marshmallow"?)

And if the ideas are just not coming, there is a book filled with tips for unlocking those ideas.  It’s called “ The Corporate Rebel’s Productivity Guide” and is written by Betsy Burroughs.  She honed her techniques when she worked in advertising agencies and had to drag ideas from her clients.  Her tips can help you with productivity but they can also help you get those brilliant ideas out of your head.