You may start your event planning with a mountain of event ideas, but there will come that moment when you hit a wall - when you just can't think of anything appropriate. In those times when your mind goes blank, try some of these tips for generating event ideas for your event.
1. Take a Big Break - If you can't come up with anything new or interesting, you may need to get away from your event planning session. Step away and do something out of character to change your mental state and spark your creative juices. Maybe a day at the spa, complete with massage and facial, is just the thing you need to refresh and replenish a sluggish event planning brain. Take a day-trip to a local landmark or nature preserve. Get away. Breathe. Exercise. Meet your friends for lunch or a movie. Clear your mind, and new creative event ideas will flood in.
2. Do Something Social - Sometimes we get in a terrible rut. Day after day - to work to home then back again. One way to refresh your event planning is to have some rich social contact. Do something different with your family or friends. While you're out, ask them what they think. Remember, two (or more) heads are usually better than one. Use social time to make your companions a sounding board for your old event ideas. They may be able to help you improve what you thought was a bad idea with a new pair of eyes. Keep an open mind when they offer suggestions - you're not the only one around with event planning skills.
3. Try some Brainstorming - One way businesses generate new event ideas is to brainstorm. Several people sit down together and throw out ideas. No one can make judgments about someone else's suggestions. Nothing is too stupid or silly. It all goes down on the list. You can try your own version of brainstorming when event planning. Find a quiet spot, sit down with pen and pad, and simply write down every idea that comes to mind. Don't second-guess yourself or form opinions, just write. Remember, in this case, quantity is better than quality. Just get as much as you can down on paper so that you can consider each idea's merits later on.
4. Try Some Physical Activity - When your blood is flowing and your heart is pumping, your brain is more active. If you get stuck and frustrated, try some exercise. Go for a walk, do some pushups, or clean the kitchen. You may have event ideas while you're active that you wouldn't have had otherwise. After a little healthy exercise, you may be able to look at things in a different light.
5. Sleep on It - Sleep is a naturally healing, restorative process. And during sleep, the subconscious mind works overtime. If you are overwhelmed, try to take a short nap. You may be surprised at the great event ideas that will spring forth from a rested mind. If your hard event planning work has allowed you to become exhausted, make a point of getting a good night's sleep before you try again to generate event ideas. A tired brain has tired ideas. Give yourself a better chance of creative thinking by resting.
6. Seek event ideas from Other Sources - One creative way to have creative ideas is to feed your brain before you sleep. Plant some subconscious ideas by watching an hour of television or going to a movie before you go to bed. Flip channels so that you don't get involved in the story - just look for great event ideas. Then sleep on it. Your sleeping mind will recombine and recreate what it has taken in. Give it a shot. You can't lose, and you may have some of your most interesting event ideas this way.
7. Go Surfing - If television or the movies aren't good enough event planning fodder, try surfing the internet. Search for party-theme tips or read articles on great parties. Find some blogs on relevant topics and see what you can glean from this fertile field. Cast a wide net by doing searches for very simple one-word concepts like "party," "entertainment," or "games." Get a bit more selective using short phrases like "best party ideas," "theme party," or "event activity." You can even search for concepts only loosely-related to event idea planning. Try a search for "great vacations," "cruise ships," "vacation tours," or "public speakers." Anything that will open your mind to new concepts will help you generate more event planning ideas.
8. Do an Informal Survey or Poll - If you've truly run out of event ideas, you can approach others in some novel ways to generate ideas. Tell people you're conducting a poll and ask them questions like
- What's your favorite social activity?
- What does your family do to have fun together?
- When was your favorite party? What did you do?
- Who's the best party host or hostess you've ever known? Why?
- In your opinion, What makes a party great?
You may be surprised at the responses you'll get, and your questions may start conversations that lead to new interesting ideas for your event. At the very least, you get to know your friends and family better by showing interest in their opinions.
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