Absent-minded? 5 Ways to Record Your Ideas

July 9, 2010

Ideas can come anytime, anywhere.

You’re ironing your husband’s work shirts, and a thought came fleeting through your head. You can’t wait to blog about it, but you want to finish your ironing. However, as soon as you wait for your notebook to get switched on, logged on, signed in to blogger dot com or wordpress, and opening the ‘new post’ section – *poof* – the great idea that you had just a few minutes ago seemed to go missing.

Does this sound familiar to you?

1) WRITE IT DOWN
All passionate writers should emulate a habit of writing down any fleeting ideas, especially if you keep forgetting them. Imagine what a waste of a good idea, if you forgot about it?

I keep a small notebook and a pen in my handbag, actually for grocery listing, but can also be used for writing down blogging ideas!
If you happend to be in front of your PC at the time, open a notepad to type down ideas, and save it for later editing.
If you’re using an office computer, you can always save in a pendrive
Driving? And no pen anywhere? Save it as an sms draft or a note in your handphone!

Trust me, you’ll be glad you did all this!

2) SHOOT IT
Don’t take a gun and shoot anybody if you forgot an idea, okeh! I mean shoot it with another ‘weapon’ – your camera!

Take a photo of that idea – for example, when you see a nice plet number and you thought of writing about Datuk S’s outrageous number-bidding, then take a quick picture of the car, so that the picture will remind you of that blogging idea!
Take a video of that interesting tarian lilin (candle dance) you saw at your kids’ school concert and thought of ideas about blogging on the safety precautions of having candles on a wooden stage!

You may not necessarily use these photographs and videos in your blog, but it would help remind you of a blogging idea you had when you ‘shoot’ those photos and videos!

3) SHARE YOUR IDEAS
You’re cooking, and bam! – a great idea came to you, about a certain cooking tip, for example. You can always tell your kids, or tell your husband about it right when the idea came. After a few days, you can ask them again, and help you remember.

Just hope that your husband won’t say things like, “What cooking tips? I wasn’t listening lah. I was watching bola..”

Ouch!

4) FOCUS ON A SUBJECT/AN OBJECT
When you get a blogging idea, with no pen and paper, no pc, no camera, and noone to share with – choose an object to focus on, that will remind you of that idea.

For example, you focus on ‘candle’ to remind you of that tarian lilin, or you focus on ‘garlic’, for that cooking tip you want to write about.

5) SCHEDULE POSTING!
Scheduled posting has always saved me!

Do a scheduled posting – write down any little ideas that you have, even if it’s just a single sentence, or even JUST a blog title – save a draft on some random date, go back to it when you can expand with more solid ideas.

When you’re satisfied and have poured out all ideas, go ahead and publish!

Popularity: 1% [?]

ILikePaperCutting on July 9, 2010 at 8:43 AM

I do number 5 most of the time. Great tips on number 4. thanks.
ILikePaperCutting´s last [type] post ..Origami- Dog and Cat

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 3:47 PM
ILikePaperCutting, yeah number 5 is the best! hihi. you can use it when u have idea, when you’re not sure of ur ideas yet, or even when you think u have ideas!
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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lina on July 9, 2010 at 8:50 AM

syigim – yes i’m one of them forget the idea….try to recall still unable to get back the idea…ur point is very good. Scheduled posting yes really save me alot.
lina´s last [type] post ..Laksa Johor

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 3:49 PM
lina, we absent-minded ppl must help each other! hahaha.
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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sharinginfoz on July 9, 2010 at 8:53 AM

memang penting tu ada idea aja tulis… kan lupa pulak kan

Iron Baby

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 3:51 PM
sharinginfoz, mmg i slalu tulis je, even tgh dlm kereta tulisan mcm cakar itik asalkan dapat ingatkan kita nanti!
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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appledia on July 9, 2010 at 9:59 AM

Great article!
Thanks for sharing.
appledia´s last [type] post ..Futsal jom-

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 3:58 PM
hi appledia, feels great to share!
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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Hidayah on July 9, 2010 at 10:42 AM

Hehe.. important tips for forgetful..ehem.. I mean busy mommy-bloggers like us .. I usually list down all the stuff I feel like blogging about but will choose whichever topic that takes my fancy when I’m in front of my laptop..

Scheduled posts are also important for days that we know we won’t have time to update our blog especially for people who try to update their blog regularly (like daily)..that way you can write your entries whenever you’re free but publish them whenever you think is best
Hidayah´s last [type] post ..Otak-Otak Ayam – Assam Pedas Melaka

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 4:08 PM
hidayah, u said it all!
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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unlisted_one on July 9, 2010 at 1:28 PM

great tips Syigim. i experienced it all the time. i got this great idea to blog about, but I never jolt it down and by time I want to write about it, I can’t write it properly because i forgot all the gory details..huhu

Pelik?
unlisted_one´s last [type] post ..Aku dan Donashi

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 4:12 PM
nia, sbb i slalu experience la i dok pikir2 topik ni! hihi
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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Miss Eeta on July 9, 2010 at 1:44 PM

I totally agree with Lina. I selalu dapat idea waktu driving dan menonton tv, tapi lepas tu waktu duduk depan lappy, sure hanguss…idea hilang entah kemana. Anyway Syigim, thx for sharing gal..
Miss Eeta´s last [type] post ..Paul OctoPaul Who

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 4:16 PM
hi miss eeta, glad i could help!
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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amirah on July 9, 2010 at 2:10 PM

good tips..should try it later…
amirah´s last [type] post ..Akhirnya Spain MenangYaribba YaribaaBenar Ramalan Paul Sotong Goreng Pun Sodapp

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syigim Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 4:17 PM
thanks amirah! tak rugi try..
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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Hanz on July 9, 2010 at 4:15 PM

Syigim, I do all of the above! I have a brainstorming notebook, bring my camera everywhere,hubs even give me ideas sometimes on what to blog (he’s my big fan, hehehe..), at times I made mental-note I must write about this & schedule post, yups! It helps! Apart from that in case writer’s block hit me, I just take a peek at other’s blog & VOILA! Idea came
Hanz´s last [type] post ..Baby Hanz

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syigim on July 9, 2010 at 4:22 PM

hanz, so cute about ur hubs! mine seldom suggests topics, but even when he does, mesti about politics or economic situation – tak minat & xreti pun! hihi.
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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eyriqazz on July 9, 2010 at 5:03 PM

idea syigim selalu mengancam..apa yg selalu saya buat..apa yg menarik di hati,saya letak terus tajuk dlm handphone saya…hik2..berkesan juga…scheduled posting is a must for me…
eyriqazz´s last [type] post ..Sorry Guys- I Cant Make It

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syigim Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 1:56 AM
eyriqazz, i also believe that even with JUST a blog title, you can go home and create a good post
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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oyis08 on July 10, 2010 at 10:15 AM

I so love tip no 2! i will never look at a camera in the same way anymore. so who says you need the latest PDAs, smartphones gadgets whatnots to help you jot ideas whilst you’re on the move, these methods work well enough (at a much cheaper cost). altho’ no 3 might not work in my house tho hihi…

ps: they let kids do tarian lilin? like honestly? how dangerous is that? more so if they spray the kids’ hair with hair spray / mousse during make up. bole kena sambar api, u ols!
oyis08´s last [type] post ..Just Coz

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syigim Reply:
July 11th, 2010 at 2:13 AM
oyis08, if it makes you feel any better, no3 hardly works for me too!! hihi

psl tarian lilin tu, i saje je used that as example. but really, when i was in standard 4, i was in kelab kebudayaan, and we’re taught tarian lilin – with real candles tau!
syigim´s last [type] post ..Muara Sg Duyung – Best Ikan Bakar Ever

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The Womanish on July 15, 2010 at 1:42 AM

betul betul betul….good tips…thanks for sharing
The Womanish´s last [type] post ..My instinct was rightits jaundice-

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syigim Reply:
July 17th, 2010 at 2:43 PM
thanks the womanish, alwyas glad to share
syigim´s last [type] post ..Nasi Kandar Beratur @ Kapitan Keling

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Fairus on July 15, 2010 at 3:35 PM

cik syigm,

i kan, dapat newsletter dari MBP, tengok tajuk and isi pentingnye, pun dah tau dah u yang tulis. syabbas, mere bette! (kate inspektor dalam hindustan dulu2)

this thing happened a LOT to me, that’s why i prefer to take photos, sbb i won’t forget what to write.

Mmg la, kadang2, tgh iron baju pun ade dapat idea.

thanks syigim!
Fairus´s last [type] post ..Lucky Draw by RASP

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syigim Reply:
July 17th, 2010 at 2:45 PM
so sweet, fairus! it means i seemed to got a personal *touch* already. mmg best kalo readers baca few sentences je dah tau who’s the writer

yah takin photos senang – snap, keep, look at it anytime for ideas!
syigim´s last [type] post ..Nasi Kandar Beratur @ Kapitan Keling

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maslina4880 on July 21, 2010 at 10:17 AM

owh.. really good idea to apply!! sy selalu dpt idea utk buat entry time ironing (sbb time tu la otak kita paling lama berada dlm keadaan ‘idle’.. utk org yg buat keje2 ironing once a week.. for a whole wardrobe like me!!) tetapi malangnya lepas siap sume, busy buat itu ini, tambah pulak dah malam (sy bercadang utk create entry tu esok pagi) tiba2 terlupa pulak.. mmg rasanya idea tu best sgt utk share tetapi.. ~~~sigh~~~ such a waste!! lupa semuanyaaaa.. lepas ‘kecewa’ dgn insiden terlupa itu, I’ve then decided not to blog until sampai satu masa ada idea baru (tu pun dgn harapan tak terlupa lagi).. sbb tu la jarang update blog.. I actually really love blogging.. harap tips yg awak bg nih blh membantu.. thanks for sharing!!
maslina4880´s last [type] post ..Aku seorang penganggur

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syigim Reply:
July 22nd, 2010 at 11:36 AM
maslina, i pun experience yg sama. bukan stakat idea blog, ayat2 sedap yg dah syok2 karang masa ironing tu pun hilang..

hope this helps!
syigim´s last [type] post ..A Quiet Lunch &amp A Noisy Bbq Dinner

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ajjah on July 25, 2010 at 12:57 AM

i have a notebook in my handbag, i save few notes in my handphone and yes i do carry my camera everywhere too.. tapi nak snap-snap gambar tu i malu sikit.. so most of the time i saved it in my phone.. hehe

and yes, schedule posts really really help…!
ajjah´s last [type] post ..photo booth

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