Inspiration for a joyful and creative life

Some Problems May Take More than One Pass to Solve

Do you ever find that you are so anxious to solve a problem that you take the first answer that comes to you or your group?

Sometimes that works beautifully. But sometimes you may need more than one approach and to be willing to experiment to find the best solutions.

The More the Merrier

One recommendation I have is to come up with several ideas instead of just one. You may still end up using that first idea but often you come up with even better solutions as you go deeper.

You may also end up combining ideas for a much more powerful solution.

What?’s Working and What?’s Not

One thing I?ve been tuned in to lately, though, is that sometimes you have a good solution to a challenge and once you implement it, you find that it can be tweaked and further refined for an even better solution.

Only you would not have come to that conclusion if you didn?t work through the first solution first. You don?t always understand enough until you start working through a problem to see things from a different perspective.

You can see what aspects of your solution work, what doesn?t, and what can be improved.

What does all this mean to you?

It means that your first attempts at solving a problem aren?t necessarily a failure if they don?t work out the way you hoped. They may be a stepping stone in the process.

Simply to be open to learning and experimenting until you are satisfied with the results.

Remember that old saying? If at first you don?t succeed, try, try again.

Do you have a problem or challenge that you are ready to make some adjustments to refine your initial solution?

P.S. If you need some help figuring things out, email me for an idea session or two.

Sometimes when you need a creative idea, you can use a
little help.

IdeaChampions.com has developed a fun way to play with your
challenge.  Free the Genie is a card deck for facilitating
problem solving and innovation.

You can sample it for free here
http://www.ideachampions.com/free_the_genie/

Roger Von Oech also has a card deck that I love called The
Creative Whack Pack with over 64 cards and strategies that
can help generate new ideas and allow you to come up with
some fresh ideas.

Check out the Creative Whack of the Day here

http://creativethink.com/1pu

I have recently starting using Springpad and I love it!  Since I have online businesses and do a lot of computer work, I am constantly finding resources, websites, and items I would like to save.

Well, my old method was to print things out.  And depending on what it is, I still do.  But I was getting buried in paperwork and then I had to file it!  More work, more time, and more paper!

With Springpad, I can bookmark a site, or a page, or clip something, and save it online.  I especially like that I can easily add tags so I can search or find it later.

Let me give you a couple of examples of how I use it.  I might be working on a project, and come across a site I would like to explore later…because I’m trying to focus on the project at hand!….I can “spring it” and add appropriate tags and a description if I need it.

I have used it for creativity and time management sites, cool artists, craft or home projects, recipes, website designs I like to help me re-design my jewelry site, virtual assistants or affiliate partners, research for articles, and lots more.

If you are planning a trip, you may want to save several hotel sites, or siteseeing activity sites, restaurants, etc. that you can reference later without writing down all the information or printing it out.

SpringPad also has specific folders for books, recipes, wine, music, movies, businesses, contacts, etc. if you want to use those.

They have a button that you can drag to your toolbar that makes it really easy to just click and add the page or site you want to save.

Keep Track of Your Lists

I haven’t used this feature yet but you can also create lists such as shopping lists, task lists, or checklists.

Add Events, Coordinate with Google Calendar, and Set Alarms

You can add appointments, events, or set an alarm.

You can access your information from anywhere online.  You can send other people your finds by email.  You have an option on each entry to make it public or private.

You can access your bookmarks and lists from your mobile phone.  And there is an IPhone app for it.

I may have to move into the 21st century and get an IPhone or Blackberry.

I haven’t even begun to explore all it’s uses but what I’m using so far is great.

If you have other ideas for how to use Springpad or use other services that you really like, please add a comment and share your experience.