Tracking My Brainstorms

source image courtesy of Habitually Chic

As part of WeWork's "Track Your Brainstorm" Campaign, I am sharing how, when, and where I get inspiration for Boston Green Blog! 

My brainstorms are a little all over the place. I’m an avid list maker, which is great for capturing ideas on the go. Four years ago, when I founded BostonGreenBlog.com, I had no idea that writing the blog would help me land a writing gig at CBS and inspire the creation of Just Us Gals – a women’s lifestyle blog. Now, I am writing 9 – 12 blog posts per week in addition to working full time as a Sustainable Products Buyer at ClimateStore.com. It’s a lot of work to pack into one week. It is all work that I love – inspiring people to lead more sustainable lifestyles, but it takes a lot of time, so I end up having my best ideas while walking the mile to and from South Station on my way to work.

The walking portion of my commute is the only time of day where I’m not at a screen – even when I’m at the gym or out for a run, I still have headphones in with some type of media going, so my walks are my zen time. I’m able to breathe some fresh air and collect my thoughts. Especially over this summer when the weather was perfect every day, walks were a relaxing and stress-free time to prioritize my goals, plan the day ahead, and simply let my mind wander.

Being an observant person is key to garnering creativity. Even though I walk the same sidewalk, day after day, it’s amazing how many different people I see, or events being set up, buildings being built, and of course, conversations overheard. I use these as tidbits of inspiration to take with me throughout the day. Sometimes, I’ll stop and take a photo of something I want to remember, or add to one of my many lists stored in the “reminders” section of my iPhone. Once I’m at South Station, I hop on my commuter rail to work and boot up the ol’ laptop to get some writing done. Luckily, commuting through South Station is convenient in the afternoon because it is located right near the Melcher St. WeWork location which is a great place to meet other creatives and Bostonians with true entrepreneurial spirit! Its fun to meet so many other wonderful Bostonians working hard to make our community a hotspot for innovators.