Having a little trouble organizing your thoughts or putting together a plan? Welcome to the club. Whether you’re just trying to map out the day or develop a new policy or procedure for your boss, planning, in and of itself, can be a challenge. Good news, though. I have a solution! Since the hardest part of project planning is getting started, I’ve discovered a way to jump start the whole preplanning process; it’s called Mind Mapping.
Mind mapping is a nonlinear, visual way of thinking, that allows one to develop an idea or put together a series of interrelated thoughts in a unique format. Instead of creating the usual linear outline, with roman numerals, letters and numbers, mind mapping helps create a thought diagram. Whether you’re faced with a complex project or a simple errands list, mind mapping helps you get all your thoughts on one piece of paper and each piece of the diagram is linked to the main thought. You can use a mind map to visually connect ideas and information to help you save time, solve real business problems, improve business processes, and drive innovation. Here’s how it works:
1. Begin with the end in mind.
Start your mind map with a primary objective or intended outcome written inside a box or circle in the middle of a page of paper. Then start thinking “ideal outcome.” If everything came together in just the right sequence, what would the end result be? (like this)
The most effective way I know of to actually see the big picture is to think visually. Mind mapping allows you to create a visual outline of what you want to accomplish, instead of making a list. It’s fun, it’s creative and it’s a very effective way of getting thoughts on paper.
2. Create a Mindmap instead of creating a list.
As an experiment, take a blank piece of paper, draw a small circle in the middle of the page. Think of this circle as the hub of a wheel. Write your key thought or idea in the middle of the circle. Now start drawing spokes for the wheel. At the end of each spoke, write an idea or key thought associated with the main idea in the center of the page.
Once you get a few spokes on the wheel, go back and repeat the process with each of the ideas on each of the spokes. Sound tedious? Read on.
3. Better yet, use your computer!
Instead of hand-drawing a mind map, why not create a map using your computer? Here’s a web site where you can find an example of a mind map and a 30-day free trial version as well.
Mind mapping can be used for creative problem solving, decision making, brainstorming, as well as improving your organizational skills.
Mind mapping provides a creative way to organize your ideas and your thoughts, as well as help you see that all-important big picture. Visual thinking is the key to creative thinking. Millions are joining the ranks of mind mappers in order to stimulate their thinking and improve their planning skills. Why not join them?
Tags: brainstorm, business, improve, list, mind map, organize, problems, project, solve, thoughts
