Brainstorming - What Counts?

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

25 Mar 2007 10:54 AM

We talked about brainstorming earlier and stimulating your brain. We talked about how it enhanced your mood and boosted your confidence, but what counts as brainstorming? Let's chat.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming itself is the act of generating new ideas or solutions for a problem. For example, let's brainstorm about why we might need to brainstorm.

• Brainstorming gives us an opportunity to consider our options
• Brainstorming gives us options we might otherwise dismiss
• Brainstorming does not require absolutes or perfect ideas
• Brainstorming can help you create new ideas
• Brainstorming requires little more than a few minutes of your time and some writing instruments (pencil and paper, pen and paper or just the computer screen and keyboard)

Someone asked me recently how can we brainstorm if we're not sure what the problem is; Well, that's a great question - brainstorming doesn't need absolutes, that's the first rule you have to remember. Brainstorming is exactly that, it's dumping out a lot of thoughts onto paper or computer screen and seeing if anything sticks.

Another Example of Brainstorming: How can you ramp up your fitness without changing too much of your schedule? Park further from your destinations Avoid using your car if your destination is within a 1-mile radius Take up gardening Do more by hand work - wash dishes by hand, hang laundry outside to dry Clean house with intensity Have a spare five minutes? Stretch out

But There Is More

Brainstorming is a positive activity designed to help you achieve potential solutions. But there are other things that help generate the same type of mental and emotional response (sense of achievement) that you may be looking for. Among these other types of activities, you might enjoy:

• Word Searches
• Sodoku
• Crossword Puzzles
• Logic Problems
• Standard Puzzles
• And more ...

The thing about puzzles and such is that through solving them, you create that sense of personal achievement and you encourage a more active sense of achievement throughout your day. Does this give you any ideas for how you can incorporate more brainstorming and problem solving into your daily life?

Related Articles:

Brain Fitness - Defensive Pessimism

Creativity Breeds Success in Fitness & Life

The Power of Positive Fitness Thinking

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger