How to Brainstorm Creative Ideas: 33 Tips, In 140 characters or Less

How many hours have you spent banging your head against a desk, desperately trying to find inspiration? We all bear the gross forehead bruises from this timeless struggle. Ethos3 is on a mission to end this pain. Presenting 33 different ways to brainstorm creative ideas, all within 140 characters or less for convenient sharing and Tweeting (they even include the URL)!

“Brainstorming” should really be called something less terrifying. Maybe “brainraining” or “brainsprinkling.” We’re confident you can come up with a nicer alternative after reading these tips.

1. First, brainstorm alone. People generate 2x more ideas when working alone than in groups. via @FastCompany http://ethr.ee/1jJlcrc

2. To brainstorm alone: Take a walk. Studies prove walking increases creativity.  via @nytimes http://ethr.ee/1jJr0kA

3. Unplug. Connect to nature to boost creativity by up to 50%.  Via @HuffingtonPost http://ethr.ee/1kpNFgG

4. Let yourself be bored. Boredom leads to creativity, research proves. via @slate http://ethr.ee/1jJvEiH

5. Take a shower to get the ingredients for a creative epiphany: Dopamine, Distraction, and Relaxation. via @ buffer http://ethr.ee/1yiWjFV

6. For group brainstorming, encourage dissent to increase the number of ideas by 25%. via @99u http://ethr.ee/1jJlq1L

7. To generate game-changing ideas, challenge all of your assumptions about your topic of choice. via @OPENForum http://ethr.ee/1kWvzCT

8. “We find our best ideas once we stop pretending that every idea is a good one.” via @washingtonpost http://ethr.ee/1kWDm3n

9. “People’s reactions to ideas: Bad ideas: That’ll never work.  Good ideas: That could work. Great ideas: That’ll never work.” via @levie

10. To brainstorm big ideas, sit in a room with high ceilings.  For analyzing ideas, sit in a smaller space. via @99u  http://ethr.ee/1zChS5W

11. To generate creative ideas, connect less with others; isolate yourself temporarily. via @nytimes http://ethr.ee/1oAvUw2

12. Don’t say: “the sky is the limit.”  Set boundaries and restrictions on ideas to boost creativity. via @GregoryCiotti http://ethr.ee/1jJs489

13. Brainstorming is not a one step process. Ideas need to be incubated, sometimes for days or even weeks. http://ethr.ee/1tNzzPz via @crewlabs

14. Try “brainwriting” instead of brainstorming. via @smashingmag http://ethr.ee/1jJzoRe

15. “Brainswarming” is a new alternative to brainstorming.  Give it a try.  via @HarvardBiz http://ethr.ee/1jJAbBt

16. Richard Branson suggests: Brainstorm in a creative environment. via @RichardBranson @EntMagazine http://ethr.ee/1zFRnMK

17. Studies prove beer boosts creativity more than coffee. Maybe bring some when brainstorming. via @crewlabs @mikaelcho http://ethr.ee/1tNA5Nq

18. Don’t aim for a eureka breakthrough. Great ideas are created from many smaller ideas. via @FastCompany http://ethr.ee/1roCSZ8

19. If you can’t brainstorm a solution, take a break. Studies show that incubation produces more results. via @newsweek http://ethr.ee/1roEjqr

20. Picasso created about 50,000 works; not all were masterpieces. Welcome bad ideas to be more creative. via @realsimple http://ethr.ee/1roFruj

21. Use the round robin approach to get feedback from everyone (even introverts) during brainstorming. via @inspireUX http://ethr.ee/1tNGx79

22. Tangents are good when brainstorming, but assign a moderator to get ideas back on track eventually. via @designshack http://ethr.ee/1roHHBG

23. Brainstorm, then pick ideas that are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound. via @designshack http://ethr.ee/1roHHBG

24. Ditch the office; go somewhere fun to create fresh ideas! Founder of Morphonix takes staff to the beach. via @inc http://ethr.ee/1ynAtkA

25. Play pictionary when brainstorming. Draw ideas instead of writing or speaking them. via @OPENForum @smallbiztrends http://ethr.ee/1ynD12b

26. Be brief when sharing ideas during brainstorming.  This encourages imaginative interpretation. via @polleverywhere http://ethr.ee/1ynDHo2

27. Don’t dwell on the details of ideas during brainstorming. Dwelling can kill creativity. via @HarvardBiz http://ethr.ee/1ynEJR2

28. Stimulate ideas with a SWOT analysis: Strengths? Weaknesses? Opportunities? Threats? via @designtaxi http://ethr.ee/1jN7zYj

29. Take notes when brainstorming. Otherwise some ideas will inevitably be forgotten. via @CreativeBloQ http://ethr.ee/1jN988z

30. Don’t expect inspiration to deliver a finished product.  Brainstorming will inspire, not finish the job. via @TheWeek http://ethr.ee/1jN9Oe2

31. Spend some time brainstorming, then take a nap. Studies prove naps help the creative process. via @ lifehacker http://ethr.ee/1jNagZO

32. When brainstorming as a group, don’t allow more than a moment of silence.  Keep the ideas flowing. via @FastCompany http://ethr.ee/1ynJqKH

33. Nobel prize winners have said: the hardest part of creating a brilliant idea, is asking the right question. via @CNN http://ethr.ee/1jN2mj5

Put a band-aid on those frustration injuries; you’re about to brainstorm your way out of any life problem. We hope you’ve enjoyed these bite-sized inspirations, come back soon to see the full “33 tips” series.