MIND MAPPING – A TOOL FOR ORGANIZED THINKING
SIX STEPS TO EFFECTIVE MIND MAPPING
(Part I)
(Part I)
Just as a road map outlines how to get to your destination in an organized way, mapping out your thoughts can lead you to your destination when working on a project, organizing an event, dealing with family or work issues or solving a personal problem, like overcoming a bad habit. There really is no end to how a Mind Map can assist you in mapping out a strategy, crafting a plan of action or solving a problem.
So often we make “lists” of things to do; A. B. C. and while this is useful and effective, it’s not really the way the mind naturally thinks. When you slice open the brain, the patterns of the brain are more like tree branches, with one branch leading to another in a different direction. We can map out our strategy to coincide more with how our brain actually works for a more effective way of organized thinking through Mind Mapping.
Here’s how it works in a nutshell:
1. First, because your brain naturally thinks in pictures and it’s pictures that stimulate the brain most effectively, you start with a picture in the middle of your paper or poster board that represents the central theme of your Mind Map.
2. Next, you’ll want to draw “branches” out from your picture. Remember that your brain will naturally connect with curved lines rather than straight, rigid lines. Create curvy lines that remind you of tree branches. First one thick branch, then smaller branches coming off of the initial branch.
3. As you are writing down your thoughts here, you’ll want to use just key words rather than sentences. If you just write one key word on your first thick branch, it will allow your mind to expand and go in many different directions about that one word. A sentence would hem your brain in to think in just one direction.
4. Once you’ve jotted down your main key words, your mind will explode with ideas that can then be represented with smaller branches coming off of the main branch, and then even more branches like twigs coming off of the smaller branches; really, just like tree branches and just like your brain naturally operates!
5. We all know that color excites the brain! We wear colorful clothing, drive colorful cars and are attracted to colorful pictures, etc. When mapping out your strategy, excite your mind by using colors throughout your Mind Map! You can use colors to categorize your thought patterns. All the branches in one section that represent one area of concern can be one color, while another area can be a different color. Using color in this way makes it easy to distinguish different categories of thought.
6. And because “a picture can say a thousand words”, you’ll want to use colorful pictures throughout your Mind Map. Even if you just draw the picture yourself, it says even more to your mind than words. You don’t have to be an artist; just draw a stick figure, draw a heart, a car, a house, a microphone, whatever you are Mind Mapping about. Here is one example:
While there are many ways to craft a Mind Map, I believe this will give you an idea of what I’m talking about. Have some fun and ‘MIND MAP YOUR STRATEGY’! It will help you with memory, retention and implementation. You’ll benefit! (Keep reading for Part II - Many more IDEAS and EXAMPLES below!)
Leanne Cannon
Author, Speaker, Business Coach
Social Media Marketing Trainer
www.LeanneCannon .com
330-400-9814
What can you use a Mind Map for?
You can use Mind Mapping for virtually anything you want to organize or just get clear about!
If you are planning a trip, place a picture of the destination in the center of your page, and then around that put branches like; shopping list, clothes, car, people, plane, etc. Then off shoots from these main branches may be things like specific items on your shopping list – the clothes you definitely want to take – the things that will need checked on the car before you go, or the items you want on take on the plane, the flight number, etc. – the people you need to connect with before you go – people you want to see on your trip, etc.
This is far more effective than just making lists. When you look at your Mind Map, you are seeing all your arrangements in one spot! You get the whole picture of what’s going on and what needs to happen right there in a comprehensive snapshot!
Let’s say you are struggling with your emotions because of a family issue or people you’re dealing with at work. I saw a Mind Map of a school kid who had “Bullying” in the center of the page. Surrounding this word and his depiction of what this meant to him, he had branches surrounding it describing ways of dealing with it and expressing his emotions around it along with possible solutions. It was fascinating!
How about organizing your time? Here’s one for you …
It’s hard to see on detail here, but this is a classic example of a great mind map. One is different though, in that it’s not using color to categorize thoughts. But it does have plenty of colorful pictures to excite the mind, and would allow the creator to see their whole intention on time management in one splash rather than page after page of boring lists.
You can even Mind Map a phrase or a philosophy. Take a look at this one on “Creative Intelligence”!
Did you know that you can Mind Map a book you’re reading?
YES! Think of that! What better way to help you retain the information you are taking in and implement it into your life! How many times have you read a book that you thought was great and that you felt would make an impact on your life; but shortly after reading it, the meat of the message starts to fade? Too many times, right?
The next time you read a book, first decide WHY you are reading it. What is your purpose behind it? Once you determine that, leaf through the book with this thought in mind. Read the jacket, the table of contents and maybe sub headings throughout the book. Now you have a sense of how this book will help you even before you read it.
Now, on your Mind Map, put the name of the book and the author’s name in the middle of your poster board or paper. If you have a picture of the book, all the better. How many chapters are in the book? Make that many branches around the book title and label them Chapter One – Chapter Two, etc. At the end of each branch you might put a circle and fill the circle with the name of the chapter. Then, draw branches as spokes coming from the circle. As you read each chapter, pause and on those smaller branches put key words that represent what you gleaned from that chapter as it relates to your purpose for reading the book.
If you really want to internalize the information, redo the Mind Map from memory! You can do this one chapter at a time, or redo the whole thing all at once. Either way, you have a much better chance of actually learning the information, internalizing it and implementing it to improve your life.
DIFFERENT FORMATS
The format is so different from what we’ve seen so far! No color, no pictures. This one is more formal, designed as a diagram for an organization. Just shows you how diversely a Mind Map can be
created.
There are a number of software programs that make Mind Mapping easy and fun. One such company providing a system like this is called iMindMap. If you go to their website, you can find out more about it.
Below is an example of something they have put together to show you how to create a mind map using their system. Just go to www.iMindMap.com to see what is available.
AN ON-GOING PROJECT
One of the beautiful things about creating a Mind Map, is that it is easy to continually work on it as you think of new things; and because all the thoughts are right there in one place, it doesn’t matter which section or category you have an additional thought in! You’re not going to mess up an outline or anything. You just add another branch and there it is!
A Mind Map can become a family project!
Are you planning a family trip or remodeling the house? Start a Mind Map on a poster board and place it on the wall in a prominent place in the house. As family members think of ideas, they can plop them right on the Mind Map. Then as everyone comes and goes, they see what each other is thinking, which may trigger another idea from someone else! Each family member can be represented with their own color so everyone knows who came up with this idea or that as they appear on the wall.
Use Your Mind Map as Your Vision Board!
Another great thing about a Mind Map on a poster board full of pictures is that it can double as your Vision Board! If you don’t know what a Vision Board is or how it can help you, that is a subject in itself for another day. Suffice it to say that having pictures of what you want prominently displayed where you’ll see them every day can help keep you focused on what you want and more aware of opportunities that show up which you can take advantage of to make things happen.
I hope you have found this article to be entertaining and enlightening! I find Mind Mapping to be an interesting topic of discussion and a valuable tool for organized thinking!
Happy Mapping!
Leanne Cannon
Business Coach, Author, Speaker
Social Media Marketing Trainer
www.LeanneCannon .com
www.LeanneCannon .com
330-400-9814
