subject: Less Is More - Even With Mind Maps [print this page] Today I am training a group of people in mind mapping, smart reading (I prefer this over speed reading because it is easier to learn) and memory training. Since I am writing this early in the morning... I will keep it short. Only a reminder of a small yet important piece of advice you received earlier.
During my training courses (and today) I advice people to create only a few visual overviews each week. This could be one for (all) your projects and one to clear your mind or even capture your current state of mind (we'll talk about this later). Don't create many visuals each day.
People who start using mindmap often create them for every tiny piece of information. I once even saw a personvisualize my name and mobile telephone number!!! - Really.
My main reasons for warning you about creating too many mindmaps are:
When you only have to manage a few mindmaps, they give you real overview
Many individual and scattered maps are not easy to manage
Remember,you are not in the business of creating or managing visual maps! You are in control over your Mind Maps and the information has to work for you!
Make sure you have only 3 overviews which you use on a daily basis. You probably don't need more to actively support you in your work and daily activities.
A mindmap with your long term goals, missions and objectives. Only updated a few times per month/year.
Aweekly/monthly or project overview. This map can be updated on a daily basis and shows you the projects you are working on.
Adaily map to organize your thoughts and other daily information. This offers you an overview of what you think of and what you work on right now. Update when needed. This daily visual may be viewed as a scratch pad. Please archive it or throw it away at the end of the day.
The information from your daily map may be transferred into the weekly overview. Are you working on a project and you have a breakthrough? Add this new information to the appropriate project in the project overview.
When you see that information from the weekly and daily maps influence you on an even larger scale, you can add a new goal or objective to your long term mindmap.
This way your maps offer you an overview of the short, medium and long term. They are also interconnected. Each map influences the other maps.
I really like it that I can review my long term goals, values and missions on a daily basis. It keeps me focused. The best thing is that I only need 3 pieces of paper to do this!
How many mind maps do you use on a daily basis?
How many mind maps do youmake on a daily basis?
Understanding yourself and managing yourself is very important. This will help you to enjoy life even more. When you like to learn more on how you can manage yourself, your environment and how information influences you, have a look athttp://MindmapsUnleashed.com.
