Geez... it is 6:15 a.m. right now and I am still here... I tried to go to sleep since 1 a.m., and have jumped out of bed about 10 times now because all kind of ideas keep popping in my head, so I need to rush to the computer and check them out before I forget about them Good thing is that I don't need to get up early for work...
I sleep with a notebook (paper variety) next to the bed to jot down "clean" site ideas when ever they may strike
Theres nothing worse (well there is but you know what I mean) than waking up and remebering you had a wonderful, inventive, lucrative and fun idea but not being able to remember it.
Damn, I have the best ideas driving home from work. By the time I've got in and sat down the idea has completely gone! I'd be a millionaire by now if I had a better memory. (That last sentance isn't true).
I was fortunate enough to do a training course in productive creativity with industry gurus What If? One of the aspects was getting into states of mind that allow creative ideas to flow, and being either relaxed or unfocused is one of them. Home time is the ideal time for it. I've had several ideas that had formed during that period which have developed into full formed products which I was able to pitch and get commissioned in principle. Its well worth finding some way of capturing them ideas otherwise you could be losing some real 'currency' there. Serious.
I've a few books on creativity thinking and they make interesting reading. I actually had my latest site idea whilst I was taking a walk at lunch time getting away from the computer is often beneficial
I bought myself a little voice recorder just because I would forget. Comedian, Mitch Hedberg said that he would be sitting around and come up with something really funny, but wouldn't want to go across the room in order to get a pen so instead he would just convince himself that it wasn't really that good of an idea. lol
I often use voicemail. If I'm out and suddenly have an idea I just call into my vm box at home/work/cell wherever and leave myself a message... works for ToDo list stuff as well.
yeah i remember before google was invented, i tought it up, i even had the whole adsense/adwords idea. but i forgot it when i woke up, i kick myself everyday
You should do what i'm trying - put them in a spreadsheet, and prioritize them by potential. Helps get them off your mind