A 4 Item Checklist To Unleash Your Mindmaps (To Accomplish More)

How many months or years are you creating mindmaps?

Did you learn how to create them by learning about them in a book? Did you take some formal training?

 

Mind mapping is more than just connecting nodes of information to each other. For me it has to do with creating the right overview of information to give me new insights and thoughts so I can more on. My mindmaps are always created with a goal in mind.

That’s not what a lot of mindmap ‘trainers’ will tell you. For them, it is mostly a way to express yourself visually. The map is the goal for them. The map should look pretty and really stick in your mind. 

Most of my minds are created without them really becoming a good picture in my mind. That’s because the map for me is only part of the entire process.

It doesn’t matter if I’m creating a map on paper or on my computer. Most of my maps (probably 95% or more) are only created to show me what I am working on, moving towards or to clarify my thoughts.

After learning how to mindmap, I quickly realized that I had to let go of rules which limit me. Also, I had to become more practical in mapping information. The map had to become part of my thougt/work processes.

I had to Unleash them.

And so I did.

 

1: Find Out What You Do With Your Maps

One of the first things you need to do is figure out what the purpose of your maps is. Do you need to mindmap ‘everything’? Do you only create the map before you start (e.g. to give direction to your work or clear your mind)?

Are you using the map while working on the project?

Is the map only a reminder of the result you are working on?

Knowing what you do with your map will help you in really unleashing them!

 

2: How Much Time Do You Spend On Creating Mindmaps?

If you spend too much time on your maps, I suggest you start working on getting things done. There will never be a perfect mindmap or visual map. Everything is relative. The moment you can afford to spend too much time on creating a map, you should really stop mapping and start working.

How much is too much? That is totally up to you. A good map is a wonderful starting point for your work. After all… preparation is 90% of the final result.

Still… the work needs to be done. For me the map is only a small overview of the task I am working on.

 

3: Do you really need a mindmap?

For many mindmap users, this is an absurd question. Of course you need a mindmap, right?

Wrong… most of the time, you may NOT need a mindmap! There are so many ways of visualizing your thoughts, processes and ideas. Just have a look at the following page (great overview of (about) one thousand visualization tools – opens in new window)

Remember, a mindmap is only one of the many visual mapping techniques available.

 

4: Is it necessary to apply all the mindmap rules religiously?

Especially when you are creating a map which you will USE, the map doesn’t need to a wonderful, fluffy mindmap as defined by Mr. Tony Buzan. Why you ask?

Because the map is only a quick note, brain dump or overview of ideas (for example). You don’t need to use many colorful images (especially in hand drawn mindmaps). Overview and Insight are your goals, not documenting for eternity.

 

When you follow these 4 simple steps, you are well on your way to Unleash and USE your mindmaps in a practical manner.

 

My circle for practical mindmap USAGE

During my training courses, we use the following circle for actually USING mindmaps, summaps and visual maps in general. Right now it is important that you see that only in the top circle (OVERVIEW), we CREATE the mindmap.

During the rest of the circle, the only thing we do is we USE the map.

When you return from EVALUATION to OVERVIEW, you update the map. It may even be that you complete lose the map you already had. I don’t advice you to do that in the beginning. You should archive the map at least. Even better is to add new information to the map and remove what you don’t need anymore.

Again… this circle for me represents one of the ways of UNLEASHING your maps. You break through the habit of only creating maps.

Start using the 4 item checklist in your (visual/mind) mapping today. You will be amazed how much time you will gain and how many extra tasks you will get done.

Enjoy your day and start USING your maps!

 

Arjen

Tags: applications, mindmap, unleash, visualization