Miller High Life's And Idea Nuggets
Where do you like to brainstorm ideas?
If it involves drinking beers in a bar, then we can relate, :)
When it comes to an ideal working scenario that’s conducive to creativity, time and experience has taught me that there’s no one-size-fits-all policy.
Everyone is motivated to work in their own unique ways.
And people can be pretty particular about their surroundings when looking to optimize their time to work, brainstorm, research, etc.
I’m certainly particular about it, as well.
Over the years, I’ve worked in a variety of places, and constantly rotate them based on the goal of the project.
When I’m drafting social content or blogs, I like to work while laying on my couch.
If I’m working on editing client images, I’m working in my home office.
If I’m on an exploratory call with a potential client, I’m outside smoking a cigar and taking notes on my phone as I pace up and down the block.
In the past, I’ve also experimented with other options: various coffee shops, on the stoop outside my apartment building and in the library, for example.
Over the past couple months, I’ve found an alternative location that isn’t normally associated with working hard but has, quite frankly, become my go-to spot to sort shit out:
My local bar.
I’m not exactly sure why or how it started, but it seems as though every time I go there, I accomplish at least one business-related task:
Engaging/responding to comments on my social media posts
Crafting emails to clients and colleagues
Fleshing out story points for a piece of content
Plotting out cornerstone content
Working on a landing page
Working out ideas for an e-book
Here’s how it works:
Before I leave my apartment, I open up either my Notebooks app or the Google Doc file that I was working on and have it ready the moment I unlock the phone in the bar.
That way, I’m setting the intention before I leave to be productive.
Once I enter the bar, I look to see if 1 of my 3 go-to seats are available - by the window, by the bathroom or the spot in the middle - and claim it immediately.
The moment I’m seated, the phone is popped out of the pocket and opened, and I’m off to the races.
My thumbs, in tune with idea nuggets dancing about my head, are non-stop as I write down a wide variety of ideas as they come to me.
Usually, I’m there for no more than 90 minutes.
But during that time, I’m laser-focused on the goal I set for myself before I left the apartment, so it’s a dense and productive chunk of time.
Why only 90 minutes?
I have a three Miller High Life rule, and apparently, I consistently can stretch three beers out to 90 minutes.
I don’t stay until the bar closes and drink myself into oblivion - this isn’t that kinda party, :)
As I write this, I am reminded of how odd this productivity strategy seems, but I really enjoy it and it’s been super effective! The bartenders are all in on it, and are pretty supportive of the endeavor.
I think the reason why I’m drawn to it is because I spend so much time alone working that when I give myself the opportunity to do so around others, it breathes new life into me.
Plus, the music and the overall atmosphere of this bar really puts me into a place that sparks my creativity.
Make no mistake, the bar is not the place I want to go to build a landing page, or anything else that’s tedious and requires hyper-attention to detail.
But, for high-level thinking out loud and other activities where I can paint broad strokes that will be tidied up afterwards, it’s a pretty awesome spot for me.
As long as the beer is cold, know what I’m sayin? :)
Turning to you…
Where do you do your best work and what does the location look like?
PS - For those of you who aren’t in the know, I mail out these blogs 3x a week, and lemme tell you, they’re a real party, so, if you’d like to get in on this, sign up for it here and I’ll throw in a free gift for you, because I care, :)