Like the Nike advertisement says “Just do it”, for a more productive brain, “Just write it!”.
I read this awesome article on Medium that says writing things down helps our brains to be more productive – For a More Productive Brain, Commit To Writing Things Down. The article resonated with me, because I have this habit of writing things down.
Just Write It:
How many times have you got a brilliant idea when you were on your coffee break, and completely forget what it was when you got back to your desk? Chances are that it happens fairly often. In fact, most things you intend to do in both the short and long term are in danger of being forgotten if you don’t record them. In short, write them down !
I get a number of ideas. Some of my dreams have given me the solution to a vexing problem, just like Elias Howe, the inventor of the sewing machine. Elias Howe dreamt that cannibals were about to kill him with spears that had the eyelet in their tip. That was what he was struggling with ! I get ideas while swimming, walking and many times when am in the washroom. Am told washrooms are the biggest idea generating space … maybe the soothing sound of water helps.
The habit of recording my ideas has helped me tremendously. Earlier I would write it down on a piece of paper or a notebook and now I use the phone. But I continue to record my ideas and that’s what is very important.
Three highlights from the article referenced above –
- What you write, you (are more likely to) achieve
- Create a checklist for any task you do regularly – there is a fantastic book by Atul Gawande on the effective use of checklists titled “The Checklist Manifesto”
- Put it on your calendar – Bindu does this very effectively.
A helpful reminder – Thomas Alva Edison, wrote down all his ideas ! There are five million pages of notes that he made over the course of his life.
So, the next time you get an idea, Just Write It !!
