5 Ways to Manage Having Too Many Ideas

 SOME PEOPLE suffer from a lack of ideas. Their well of creativity has run dry and so, they must take the time to replenish it before they try to squeeze out any more water. 

This blog post is not for them. This post is for those who suffer from the opposite problem -- too many ideas. 

But wait, you might say. How is it possible to suffer from too many ideas? Surely, that's a good thing. 

Well, picture this. Your ideas are coming thick and fast. You're excited, inspired even. They are all you can think about. At work, going to bed... Buzzing around inside you. Finally, you sit down to work on your many enticing ideas. Where should you start? Which one is most deserving of your attention? As you work on your novel, that short story idea pesters you constantly. A poem sits at the back of your mind. Oh, and don't forget about that self-help book you've been meaning to write for a while now.
You'll need a doppelganger or three to get to get everything you want to do done. 

Yes, having too many ideas can be just as crippling as having none. Indecision, that feeling of being overwhelmed by your hefty to-do list, procrastination -- some of the many negative side effects of having too many projects on the go. (Even if you haven't started them yet!) 
​
Are you listening now? Good, because I have some tips for you. 

• Take a visual approach -- Sometimes, seeing things in a different way can help to shed light on a confusing situation . Take all those ideas buzzing around in your head and write them down on paper. Make a list with a word processor or a jotter pad. Try prioritising from the most important  to the very last idea. Don't overthink this, just go with your first instinct. Which did you put first?  Now, put that list where you can't see it and do it again. Is that list any different? Have the top two ideas changed, or are they the same? There  all sorts of ways you can experiment visually. For example, colour coding, brainstorming, white boards, image association. Make a Pinterest board for your top two projects.  Prop idea cards where you see them every day. Whatever works for you, taking a visual approach can be liberating. 

• Go down the weirdest path -- When you're tossing about several enticing project ideas, it always starts well. But after a certain period of examining the same ideas over and over, you can start to lose objectivity. What did I see in this idea, again? you may ask yourself. Is this my smartest move? Okay, stop. That won't help. When you're truly stuck, what may help, believe it or not, is pursuing that strange idea you've put on the back burner. Often, the strangest ideas contain the most potential. Of course, it's hidden potential right now. But following that path will take you on a weird and wonderful journey. Who knows where it will lead you? And, if it turns out that it doesn't float, then at least you'll have crossed an idea off that long, long list. 

• Take a long walk -- When you feel like you're drowning in a sea of ideas, getting out and taking a good long walk can help in more ways than one. The fresh air and light physical activity will clear your head, allowing you to step away for a moment and gain some perspective. Also, a brief reprieve like this often encourages the best ideas to begin to germinate in your mind, while the weaker ideas stay as seeds of potential. Take a recording device, such as your phone with you on your trip. A jotter pad and pen works just as well. Record any ideas that feel big, or excite you. Other than that, don't think too hard about what comes next. Your subconscious will be on the case, working on the puzzle, even as you treat it to that long, peaceful walk. 

• Set a deadline -- There's something about a ticking clock that gives us that extra oomph. Indecision* is never in a hurry. It drags its feet, looking back, stepping forward, then backtracking to review the same options. Indecision is ruled by fear. Setting a friendly deadline will add just the right amount of pressure, encouraging indecision to pick up the pace and start making progress, without sacrificing quality ideas. With a looming deadline, there will be no time for fear. And it doesn't have to be a serious deadline, either. It can be fun and personal, with a vague end time. But what is important about this method is that you stick to it. Being lenient and extending or ignoring the deadline you set will not give you the outcome you need. 

*NB -- Indecision is not a real person. As much as I like to picture a little blue creature with a notepad running from idea to idea in our minds. 

• Follow your heart ​-- When all else fails and logic has you going round in circles, you can always rely on your heart to get the job done. Ask yourself these questions -- Which idea grabs you most? What are you passionate about?  If you're especially excited about a project or have an idea that means something to you in a personal way, that passion is likely going to carry you through the duration of the entire project. Good ideas come and go, but if your work really means something to you then the chances of you getting bored and abandoning it further down the line are pretty damn slim. Also, being passionate about what you're working on will really help to sell that project further down the line. Why should your followers get excited about this product? Why should they care? Well, where on earth do you begin? How long do they have? You really could go on all day. 

Like this post? Sharing is caring!
Have a burning question for a future blog post? Post it in the comments below. I'll do my best to answer it. 

---

---

​UPDATE: My journal Get Organised! An Idea Tracker For Writers is now available to buy online. If you've struggled with the above issue, then this may help. 

"Get Organised! An Idea Tracker For Writers is the perfect way to keep track of those moments of inspiration, strange dreams, daydreams, creative ‘aha!’ moments and project ideas that you don’t have time for now, but don’t want to forget.
Each idea section contains prompts to guide your thoughts, space to doodle or brainstorm, a simple idea rating system and plenty of lines to expand on those valuable ideas. 
With this book, you need never lose an idea again!"

---