In this ever-changing world you’ve got to keep up. How do you? Two app’s I recommend.
Our new world is shifting from careers by defined college degrees to talent management. While you used to be safe after spending x years at college and passing all the exams, you now have to prove yourself more than ever. Our organisations demand creative and innovative people. But are you keeping up?
One of the possible ways to boost your creativity is to see what people are doing in totally different sectors. For example, if you work in IT, check out insurances or architecture. So on new year’s eve I decided to read a totally new/different magazine than the ones that I’m used to. Instead of reading HBR, I took an issue of Psychologies. I vowed to do this at least every month: one new magazine each month.
While this originally sounded like a good idea, it was just another piece on my ‘to read’ pile. Next to all the blogs, articles and links that I discover or which are sent to me. Further, there is also a lot of garbage in those magazines: articles that do not interest me and lots and lots of commercials.
So I started looking for another way to keep up and thought: why am I doing all the work myself? Let the social networks help me to see what’s trending.
Below are two apps I use and recommend to keep good ideas coming in.
StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon is an app that delivers you content from the various interests you select. While you used to go for targeted searches on the Internet, StumbleUpon uses its vast network of users to select content for you. For example, if you are interested in design, the app will deliver you websites about all kinds of design (typography, drawing, interior, etc) one by one. If you like the content, you press like, and if not… well, you know.
Finished with the website? Press “Stumble” and the app will find a new site for you. You really stumble from one discovery onto another. This gives you the opportunity to browse through different sites and different topics, without any obligation. You can use StumbleUpon where you want and nothing is pushed to you. If you like stuff, you can share it or save it for later.
The app also provides different common categories like “trending” and “social”, which are ideal to get new ideas and insights from what’s currently hot on the Internet.
Warning: this app can really be addictive!
More information: http://www.stumbleupon.com/
As described in one of our previous blogs, “One week of street combing“, walking around with attention will give you many new ideas. Everywhere around us are inventions and innovative ideas, which we walk by every day … and do not notice because of our busy lives. If you really pay attention you will see great stuff from others. But how do you keep track?
Well, assuming that you own a smartphone, you can take a picture and upload it to Pinterest. The Pinterest app lets you “pin” that “interest” for later referral.
Want to see through other people’s eyes? Browse the Pinterest directory to find users who look at things from a different angle/experience and share it online.
More information: http://www.pinterest.com/
Wrap-up
I can really recommend these two apps. Even for leisure purposes 🙂
How do you keep up? Where do you get your ideas from? Please share!
No Rules Just Words 