Keep calm and carry on scribbling

There are times when there seem to be too many ideas competing in one's head at any one time. It can be overwhelming, even stressful although having many ideas is typically considered a good thing - a manifestation of creative thinking. After all, what designer wants to run short of ideas? So, capturing the ideas is key. And a good way of generating first thoughts and keeping track of them is through scribbling - a way of sketching out ideas, concrete or abstract, in words and/or images, say, telling little stories, and with any implement on any surface (although "pen & paper" is the most typical). In fact, scribbling can have a calming effect when there are too many "idea sparks" flying around. It can help harnessing restless ideas and put the ideator in a focused or meditative frame of mind that allow ideas to flow steadily rather than turbulently. Like a meandering stream rather than rapids. Scribbling, then, becomes a mindset, or an approach to problem solving - an aid that functions at many levels, including thinking-aloud or day-dreaming. In other words, ideation without stressing about it.