When you are starting out with a topic, you can use brainstorming techniques like mind mapping or topic lists combined with initial searching to identify major ideas and keywords that you can use to build additional, focused searches and organize your outline concepts for your speech:
image credit: meister.com - mind map examples
In your topic mind map, you can identify several of your topic's major ideas, and then map subtopics and related ideas, or start with a general (over-broad) topic and use the mind map to narrow down your speech topic, eventually choosing one subtopic or a related set of subtopics to focus on.
If you have trouble building a mind map for your topic -- maybe you're not sure what all the subtopics are, or it is something you are interested in but don't know much about yet -- you can do an initial web search or two and see if you can identify additional ideas that you might want to bring into your outline.
If you would prefer, instead of mind mapping, you can try making a list of your topic and related subtopics or ideas. The idea is you will start broad and focus on more specific examples as you move left-to-right for different aspects of your topic:
major topic idea #1 | subtopics of idea 1 | related ideas to subtopic 1 |
major topic idea #2 | subtopics of idea 2 | related ideas to subtopic 2 |
major topic idea # 3 | subtopics of idea 3 | related ideas to subtopic 3 |
how to get necessary work done (focus) |
* techniques for focus *managing the work space * avoid procrastination |
*Pomodomo technique *bullet journaling / lists / setting goals *organization / desk clutter * effects of multitasking (good or bad?) *why do we procrastinate? |
technology distractions |
*social media |
*Internet blocking programs *what does social media do to attention? *email time management - best practices |
routines / scheduling |
*setting a habit *most effective practices *what doesn't work? |
*effective work habits *tips from people experienced with working from home? *study techniques? *most common focus problems? |
If you are starting out with your topic or would like some ideas for subtopics, try an initial web search or two and use broad scanning to look at the results - looking shallowly but being flexible so you can get an early overview of your topic.