My Favorite Resources for Inspiration

Anywhere you look, there’s something to learn and be inspired by. Inspiration comes in many shapes and lives in many mediums, but sometimes we might decide to go out and find it…
These are my favorite resources for getting inspired:

 

Rise and shine.

I like my first dose of caffeine mixed with the world news. There’s something familiar of the having the news channel as a background soundtrack.
While sipping my coffee I like to read my favorite blogs on my Feedly and review those fun listicle emails.
On my Feedly:
Co.Design
The Great Discontent
Swissmiss
Ignant
A Beautiful Mess
99u
Brain Pickings
Email Digest:
Sidebar
With this dose of world information and interesting resources in mind. I’m ready to tackle the day.
 

Mid day sunshine.

When the weather permits, I like to take a walk around the neighborhood after lunch. I was raised with the idea that working just right after eating is not the best way to do digestion, so I’ll take close to an hour on the move.
This is when I will visit a Barnes & Noble and check out the design and crafts section. Discover new authors and get ideas that live outside of the digital world.
I’m lucky enough to be very close to a museum and depending on the season, I might take a peek at an exhibition. Sometimes I go several times and the information soaks in really nicely.
Flower and thrift shops are great places to see an array of shapes, colors and materials. You might find an interesting plant to take a picture of or a rare gem that will open the doors of imagination.
These walks are also a great moment to catch up with my favorite podcasts:
Design Matters by Debbie Millman
After the Jump by Grace Bonney
Being Boss by Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon
This tour is filled with photos and notes.
 

Mid day break.

Everyday at around 4 PM I take a break. Time to move again and give some food for thought to my brain. This is when I’ll watch a  video while having some tea or coffee. And take notes of anything that comes to mind… Anything. Some of these notes are doodles, others are quotes and some are instant moments of innovation. These later I use for posts, side project ideas or just creative exercises shared on social media.
Creative Mornings
The Do Lectures
99u Videos
 

Evening delight.

Finishing the day and turning off my brain from work is a must.  I used to read business books and consume more serious content before bed, but more often than not, I’d wake up in the middle of the night with a spinning head.  Which is great for generating ideas, but not too good if you want to rest and be a productive being the next day.
My evening routine includes reading lifestyle blogs, browsing Pinterest boards for beautiful objects and browsing my twitter feed to discover amazing people I should connect with and get a sense of the that day in the world.
The School of Life
Panda
Colossal
Growth Hackers
Product Hunt
 

Closing the week.

I try to close the week with an event.  Either visiting an exhibition, signing up to a lecture or going to a workshop.  I’ve found that it helps me get an extra dose of energy and it drains any overwhelm that might be piling up in my shoulders.
These events also allow me to surround myself with amazing people.  Some of them become great friends and collaborators!
Creative Mornings: either a lecture or their new Field Trips!
Hatch: a monthly meetup for creative entrepreneurial women.
Museum Hack: because the Met is an endless source of inspiration.
Etsy Labs: because getting your hands dirty with crafts is awesome.