Mind maps are a great way to unleash the hidden creativity that lurks in your mind. It is an alternative to linear note taking, which can be boring and uninspiring. I will admit that it took me a long time to over come the need to take notes in a linear fashion, with my background deeply rooted in the Sciences I am a very linear thinker. Mind maps help capture ideas and concepts in an artistic and fluid manner engaging your brain on different levels.
Uses
Mind maps can be useful in your personal, business and family life. I would have loved to have tried this out for note taking in University! Mind maps are best applied to:
- brainstorming
- note taking
- planning
- simplifying complex ideas
- organizing thoughts
- making decisions
How to create one
- Start in the middle of a whiteboard or piece of paper and write an idea you want to expand on and explore further. Keep it short and sweet use as few words as possible to get your point across. Where possible use pictures or symbols. Draw a circle around this central idea.
- Draw lines from this central idea and add supporting ideas or related concepts. Draw circles around each one of these.
- Repeat step 2 for each of the supporting ideas and so on.
An example
Here is a mind map I did for the broad topic of organizing. This is just an example and it is not finished but it helps to illustrate that there are numerous subtopics or ideas that can come from that one central idea.
Mind maps help arrange thoughts, spark new ideas and unlock memories. The beauty of mind maps lie in their simplicity. Have fun with it use different colors, fonts, sizes and pictures. There is no “right” way to do this just let your creative juices flow and have fun!
See also:
Eliminate Clutter Part 1: The Cost of Clutter and Where Does it Come From?
A Real Simple Way to Organize Your Pantry
7 Little Things That Make Me Disproportionately Happy
Photo courtesy of: shapeshift
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Comments
Hi Gwynn and Sherri,
Someone mentioned mind mapping to me recently as a starting point for any project. I will have to experiment this weekend.
I’ve seen your blog mentioned a lot, I’m pleased to finally see it. I’m going to go show myself around, if you don’t mind
David Cain’s last blog post..The Most Important Thing I Ever Learned
Sherri,
I’m like you – I have a very linear mind. I would like to give it a try though.
You said “it took me a long time to over come the need to take notes in a linear fashion”. How long did it take you?
Do you use any mindmap software?
Roger – A Content Life’s last blog post..30 Days of Mindful Eating – Day 30
I’ve always been a “linear note-taker”… where do the doodles go on a mind map? You know, the ones you scribble in the margins?
Thanks, I’m going to have to try this to keep track of all the new blogging information I’m trying to absorb.
Lisis’s last blog post..Why Worry? Avoiding Feelings of Stress, Anxiety, and Helplessness
@ David – Mind mapping is a great place to start for any project…I am rapidly finding out. I hope you have luck with it! I also hope you had fun poking around our site
@ Roger – I hope you do give it a try. It actually does unleash a lot of hidden ideas and thoughts. I was skeptical at first but I’m now converted! I can’t say I know exactly how long it took but it was on the order of months. I don’t use software specifically designed for mind mapping, I’m more of a pen and paper girl. The image in the post was done in Power Point so I could include it and so that it was legible
@ Lisis – If you’re a pen and paper girl too drawings and doodles are important to mind maps. It’s all about creating something visual and fluid. Even if you “can’t draw” you should try. It really increases the information you retain when ideas are expressed visually and in association with something else. I hope you give it a try too!
Sherri,
This is the neatest mind map I have ever seen! The usual ones tend to be scribbles, and though I love their artistic look, I find them a nightmare for working off. I like my notes to be clean and clear and if a mind map can look like this then I’m all for it!
Daphne’s last blog post..Book Review: Facing The Final Mystery
@ Daphne – Why thank you! The ones I usually do are definitely messier with scribbles, doodles and drawings but for readability I thought I would do one in Power Point. It still works though and I agree with you that it is easier to work off of when it’s not cluttered!
Very creative way of organizing ideas and thoughts Sherri.
An example similar to mind mapping is that instead of taking “cue cards” with me on speeches. I just project visual bubbles of thoughts/outlines of my presentations and then “pop” each one in order after finishing each idea/outline during my presentation.
Your visual drawing totally reminds me of my visual bubbles.
Vincent @ Yinnergy’s last blog post..Thoughtful/Thankful Thursdays
@ Vincent – Glad you liked it. I’m happy to know that something similar works for you!
Hi Sherri,
I am not a linear thinker so mind mapping is what I do naturally. Kind of funny to see the map because I am can imagine that to a linear person it looks messy!
Nadia-Happy Lotus’s last blog post..The Thing About Love
@ Nadia – It’s funny you say that because when I initially started out even my mind maps were linear, ordered and structured
I’m really trying to let that go and be a little more creative.
Hi Sherri
I did use mindmaps in college, well sort of, not in my regular Law School, but later when I enrolled in the Seminary. It works great for complex matters such as Philosophy and Theology, and even Bible studies; not so much for long series of concrete data that you have then to memorize (like foreign language words). For that the index card is way better.
Miguel de Luis’s last blog post..I did not do any drugs
Sherri
I’ve long been a fan and user of mind maps, mainly for creative inspiration. I don’t think our brains work in a linear fashion and mind-maps are much closer to how they do work. Thanks for sharing this!
Ian | Quantum Learning’s last blog post..The secret of love, life and being happy
@ Miguel de Luis – I’m glad to hear mind maps worked for you as well. Thanks for the tip on using the index card technique for more substantial memorization.
@ Ian – I’m glad it works for you too! I really do find that being creative like that instead of structured and ordered let’s the ideas flow. I actually get a lot more out of my head this way it’s really quite neat!