idea generation as a production system

If we think of idea generation as a production system, then the output is new ideas that can be built upon, connected (via a zettelkasten for example), and ultimately converted into something tangible.

It’s common to think about ways to maximize our idea generation, but this impulse often leads to efforts to fill every nook and cranny of our time. This sort of “productivity” is more akin to efficiency than effectiveness and backfires in the long run because production systems need slack. To be effective as individuals, to create new ideas and value, we need space.

(Potentially) Related: How to do nothing | Jenny Odell