Mind Mapping is one of those great things that  help me get the things done in my life, that I want to do in or need to do, in an organized manner. Without a plan it is hard to know what I have to do and where to go next, with a plan it’s easy to know what I have to do and which direction I need to go in next. Like making a list, it makes it easy to know what I have to do and when to do it. I also can have the satisfaction of striking things from my list as I complete them.

There are two main ways to do this, one is on a piece of paper.  I use a flow chart to follow my thoughts, in the different directions that they go and chart all my ideas as they come up.  After I have put down the main topic/goal then I can  break it down into smaller steps and then down into even smaller chunks so that it is easier to manage.  Now I have a road map to get where I want to go and keep me on track.  A good book on the subject is The Mind Map Book by Tony Buzan. He also has some other books on the subject that you could check out. One of his other book that I like is Mind Maps for Kids.

Creating a mind map

I like doing this on paper; however I like the flexibility of using a software program like Mindjet MindManager 8 by Mindjet. This is a fairly simple program to use and is very flexible. To learn the basics of this program will not take you very long, it also has a lot of depth and you can create very elaborate flow charts. I really love this software as it helps me to organize my thoughts and ideas, when I have a project.  Not only can I do the flowchart for my ideas, I can also add notes, links, images, sub topics and a lot more.  I use different colours and fonts with connecting arrows to make my plan clearer to understand.

By the time I have finished building my map I have a very comprehensive plan to follow and unlike paper I can move topics around if I start running out of room. Another thing that I also like about it is, that it does not take me much time to get back on track if I start to wander, as I have it in black and white and can refer to it.  I can also add new topics as it becomes necessary and as the project evolves.  I really like the Mindjet-Mindmanager program as part of my idea to take small steps on the way to achieving great things.

Keeping my mind focused really helps to bring a sense of peace into my life and achieving the steps brings a sense of accomplishment and success.

Mind Mapping Video.