It’s almost always a mistake for me to just sit down and start writing on a topic, or start working on a project without first thinking in detail about what I want to do and how I want to do it. I need to take time first to think things through.
Mind mapping is the most effective tool I’ve found for planning my thinking and my work. The time I take to mind map is repaid many times over when I do the work.
Mind mapping is a method for organizing and visualizing information. It involves creating a diagram that shows the relationships between different ideas or concepts.
To create a mind map, you start by writing a central idea or topic in the middle of a blank piece of paper or whiteboard. From there, you can add branches that represent sub-topics or ideas that are related to the central idea. These branches can be arranged in a hierarchical structure, with the most important or general ideas at the top and the more specific or detailed ideas at the bottom.
You can draw a mind map with pen and paper, but it can quickly become a mess when you decide to move things around. Digital mind mapping is an ideal way to mind map, featuring easy dragging of nodes, flexible organization, and connection of thoughts. I view the MindNode app as “best in class.”
Most of us grew up using traditional outlines to organize our thoughts. Instead of graphical representations of various thought groupings, they are linear. Because of this linear nature, you’re forced to organize your thoughts at the beginning of the process.
Mind mapping eliminates the problems that are inherent to outlining. You’re not forced to assign any organization when you begin a mind map, and it can develop naturally as you add more thoughts and get organizational insights. I find it a much better tool for thinking.
Mind Maps are Great Thinking Tools
• I think better using a graphical tool to record and organize my thoughts. I’m a visual learner and thinker, and having a visual tool facilitates my thought process. Unlike a traditional linear outline, mind maps are multi-directional and graphical.
• Mind maps have a flexible structure or no structure at all. In an outline, you have to place your thoughts in a linear manner. In a mind map, you can have separate thoughts as separate entities if you desire, until you see connections and decide to join thoughts.
My brain doesn’t think in a linear fashion like an outline, and yours likely doesn’t either. I think of something in one direction, then another, then maybe a sub-point of the first thought. A mind map lets me capture those thoughts in the way my mind works, then organize them into larger units. It better reflects the way my mind works.
• Mind maps help me to see relationships between thoughts. In the graphical layout of a mind map, I can easily see the relationship between all of my thoughts. The graphical layout does something for me that a traditional outline doesn’t provide. I can better grasp the overall connections between thought groups when I see them as graphical branches. I can see the flow of my thought with a glance.
• Mind maps make it possible for me to “play” with my thinking. I can arrange sub-thoughts under main points and use graphic tools to show relationships between thought groups or individual nodes, even under different main points. It’s easy to drag and drop individual thoughts or whole “thought trees” around in different combinations to see what organizational structure works best. By making it easy for me to drag nodes around the mind map, I can move things around and try new thought combinations on for size.
I Use Mind Maps for All My Important Thinking Jobs
• Blog post preparation. I start almost every blog post I write with a mind map. Putting my thoughts down in a mind map helps me to think through my topic and organize my thoughts. It also helps me to identify gaps in my thinking. I can see graphically where I’ve over-developed one point but under-developed another.
My goal in preparing a mind map is to create an “archipelago” of thought islands strung together. As Tiago Forte says in his book, Building a Second Brain, “The goal of an archipelago is that instead of sitting down to a blank page or screen and stressing out about where to begin, you start with a series of small stepping-stones to guide your efforts.”
When I’m ready to write, I place my word processor Ulysses on the left side of the screen, and my mind map on the right side. I’m constantly referring to the mind map as I write. I describe this process in my blog post, How I Use Ulysses, Craft & MindNode to Write & Publish Blog Posts.
• Thinking about and planning projects. When I’m considering starting a new project, I find it helpful to start a mind map. I’ll list the project title as the main node, then start adding related topic nodes as I think of them. Occasionally, a branch may be only one word like “logistics” without elaboration, other times I might list a branch and several sub-points. My mind doesn’t work in a linear fashion, and a mind map lets me reflect that.
Sometimes, the projects are work projects like compiling a book from past blog posts, or personal projects like planning a family trip to Disneyland. Creating a mind map helps me to do a more thorough job of planning and executing my projects.
• Thinking through big decisions. When I have a big decision I’m considering, it helps me to be more objective and consider multiple aspects when I draft a mind map. I’ll list pros, cons, possible consequences, etc. I’ve used this approach to consider a possible family move to a new location, and what direction to take in blogging. It works, no matter what the topic is.
• Organizing and thinking through workflows. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around how different workflows might impact my work in less than obvious ways. Showing a workflow on a mind map, or comparing different workflows, helps me to see problems and implications before I fully adopt a new workflow.
Recently, I used a mind map to think through how I would set up my PKM system. Should I put everything in Craft or DevonThink? What strengths did Craft offer, and what strengths did DevonThink offer? Should I try to do everything with one app, or use a combination of the two? If a combination, how would that work practically?
How to Draft Mind Maps
There are two main approaches people use for mind mapping:
1. The multiple-visit work-in-progress method of drafting. Using this approach, I start an initial mind map and get down my primary thoughts. Then a few hours or a day or two later I’ll come back and fill in more details or new thoughts I’ve had. The mind map takes shape over time.
The strength of this method is that your subconscious has time to work on the draft in between editing visits. I’ll often think of new ways of organizing, new points, and even entirely new aspects of a topic when I revisit a mind map in progress. When I give my mind time to work on a mind map between visits, I find the ultimate product is much improved.
2. The one-shot method of drafting. With this approach, the entire mind map is drafted in one sitting, then perhaps immediately acted on. Draft a mind map for a blog post, then write the blog post.
I use this approach when I’m short of time, but I don’t consider it as productive as the multiple-visit approach. When I rush the creation process, I rob myself of the opportunity for my mind to work on a mind map when I’m not consciously working on it. It’s a fallback method when I need to produce something quickly.
Where to Store Mind Maps
Once you create a mind map, where is the best place to store it for future use? The answer depends on what apps you’re using.
I use the app MindNode for all of my mind mapping. When the app is installed, it sets up a folder in iCloud Drive that is the default location for saves.
• One option is to leave all of your mind maps in the MindNode default folder. That’s what I’ve decided to do. I’ve created folders inside my MindNode folder with a few broad topics for work areas to give the files some basic organization.
• Another option is to store your mind maps in topical or project folders. At one time, I tried to save my mind map files with the project or topic folder that it was related to. However, not all apps will hold MindNode files.
MindMap stores files in a proprietary format unique to MindMap. It is possible to export files into pdf or image files, but that adds another step and those files can’t be edited by MindMap.
I keep most of my PKM notes and project folders in Craft, but Craft doesn’t accept MindNode files. Obsidian and most of the “notes” apps have the same limitation. On the other hand, DevonThink easily accepts and displays MindNode files.
• Ultimately, I found it confusing to attempt to file MindNode files in other apps, and decided to just keep everything in the default MindNode folder. Instead of attempting to file the mind map files within apps, I will store the link to the MindNode file with the appropriate project folder. That way if I need to look at it I can access it with one click. To access the link in MindNode, go to the “file menu/Advanced/Copy link for opening document,” then paste the link where desired.
Give Mind Mapping A Try
You can use mind maps for a variety of purposes, such as planning articles and presentations, planning projects, organizing information, and brainstorming ideas. Because mind maps are visual, they can help you see the relationships between different ideas and concepts more clearly, and can make it easier to remember and understand the information.
You can create mind maps by hand or using mind mapping software.If you’ve never used mind mapping or just dabbled in it before, I urge you to give it a try. The basic version of the MindNode app is free. It includes all the basics you need to run mind mapping through its paces.
If you’d like more information about mind mapping, the Focused podcast recently dedicated a show to the topic. You can access it here.