Use an image or picture for your central idea.Start in the centre of a blank page turned sideways.

These 7 rules are from Tony Buzan, who coined the phrase “mind map” back in the 60s. It’s an easy way to get an overview of a large subject. A mind map takes advantage of the brain’s propensity to work by association, uncovering connections you didn’t know were there. Mind maps are frequently used for organized brainstorming-to generate and capture lots of ideas on a given topic in a quick and efficient manner. However, unlike an outline, which is rigid and linear, a mind map is flexible. That flexibility makes a mind map is a great starting point for collecting ideas. Why bother?Ī mind map differs from a regular brain dump or a list in that a mind map’s information is organized. The mind map is especially useful for generating ideas, uncovering associations, and organizing information. They’re especially useful for visual types and non-linear thinkers. What is a mind map?Ī mind map is a tool for representing ideas and concepts in diagram form. I use mind maps primarily for writing but occasionally for planning, problem solving, and brain dumping. Mind maps are my go-to tool for conjuring order out of my jumbled thoughts. I could never draw up an outline from scratch, but it’s much easier to do so after I’ve made a mind map.

I shouldn’t have been surprised: a few years ago I didn’t know about mind maps, but discovering what they were and how to use them was a godsend to my non-linear brain.

Recently I instagrammed a mind map of an in-progress blog post. The comments surprised me: quite a few people didn’t know what a mind map was or how to use one.

Modern mind mapping free text