How can I improve my study skills with Mind Mapping?

Mind Mapping has helped students across the world change the way they make notes, improve their memory and prioritise information.

In this article, find out how Mind Mapping can improve study skills quickly and easily.

What is traditional note making?

Pen poised on the word ‘innovations’

Traditionally, when studying, we make notes in a linear, list style by making lines and lines of information. By making notes in this way we end up with ugly, dense lines of text which are difficult to read and understand.

Why are linear notes bad?

By writing notes in list form you are forced to isolate pieces of information, and you will feel unable to make connections between your ideas. Your creativity is not excited by linear, monochrome lines of text, meaning that you find ideas written in this way hard to read, and you don’t look forward to reviewing your notes

What is Mind Mapping?

A Mind Map is visual map of your ideas, laid out in a radial format around a central thought. To use Mind Mapping for study, simply take the central subject and then organise your notes around this point.

What are the benefits of Mind Mapping while studying?

Mind Maps appeal to your senses with their visual elements – images, branch colours and curved branches all add emphasis and ensure that you will remember your notes!

By noting down only key words, you save vital time while studying. Also, when you go on to write essays or study for exams from your Mind Maps, you will recall the most important information.
You generate ideas simply through making your Mind Map. Your brain actively makes links between ideas, adds connections, puts thoughts in order and generates further creative ideas.
Your brain responds to Mind Mapping as it replicates the natural thinking process, so you will find your ideas simply flow onto the page, making studying more enjoyable and more fun!

Mind Mapping as study skills

Student studies from a laptop and a pile of books

The Mind Map is a versatile tool, which can improve any aspect of study, including:

• Essay Planning

• Essay Writing

• Studying for Exams

• Generating Creative Ideas

• Solving Problems

• Brainstorming for Group Study

• Creating and Making Presentation

How could iMindMap improve my study skills?

iMindMap can improve your study skills even further, with a multitude of easy-to-use features and tools:

Image and Icon Libraries – give your notes quick visual emphasis with a vast array of images and symbols, designed to help you comprehend messages easily.
Save, edit and review your Mind Maps at leisure – great for revision!
Use Highlight Clouds and Relationship Arrows to make connections between ideas even more explicit.
Using the Expand and Collapse function is a great way to test yourself – or your friends! – on key information.
Add notes to branches for more detailed information, longer data or add useful web links for your reference.
Share your Mind Maps in a variety of ways with others, by exporting to PDF, image files, a webpage and even MS Word.

Mind Mapping makes studying fun!

In this article, you have found out why your brain does not respond positively to linear note taking, which may explain why you find studying boring! Mind Mapping can change all that. By using Mind Maps to make notes you will find that you enjoy studying more, have more original creative ideas and get information down a lot faster. Try it today!

Interested in Mind Mapping? You can get a FREE trial of iMindMap if you click on the banner at the side.

To your online success, Dirk

Related posts:

1. 7 Mind Mapping Uses for Teaching
2. 7 Ways to Use Mind Maps in Business

By integrating Mind Maps and the iMindMap software into your business you can streamline your working process, save time, wave goodbye to information overload and boost your productivity. Read on to find out how…

1) Present

Present something different and deliver with impact. Mind Maps allow you to brainstorm ideas, make a plan of action and present it to your colleagues all in one place. By using using key words, Mind Maps encourage clearer, more concise and more stimulating presentations. The combination of keywords and the visually stimulating structure of a Mind Map is proven to increase recall of information and allow you to handle challenging questions with confidence. iMindMap’s Presentation Mode offers a refreshing alternative to presenting with slides, giving you a highly visual and effective way of conveying your message. You can attach files, webpages, audio clips and even PowerPoint slides to the branches within iMindMap creating a truly multimedia presentation, all easily manipulated from within your Mind Map.

2) Plan

Plan your schedules, meetings, briefs and proposals in a new and more efficient way with Mind Maps. You can divide up topics and tasks into different branches, adding sub-topics and smaller, related tasks as child branches. Then you can draw connections between related tasks, see how different projects impact each other and prioritise you time accordingly. Make ‘To Do’ lists, plan your weekly schedules, construct a three month marketing plan or set goals for the year. A Mind Map is the perfect space to organise and group information in a clear and coherent way – cover all aspects in one place, from agendas and objectives, to resources and locations, so you can stay organised and on the ball.

3) Consolidate

With a Mind Map you can consolidate a vast range of information, and with the iMindMap software you can take this to a multimedia level with anything from spreadsheets to websites to audio files. With all the relevant information at your fingertips, all in one Mind Map, you are in control and can save hours of time. You can throw in all of the documents and links relating to a specific project you’re working on, attaching files to the relevant branch of your project map. You have complete control in iMindMap and the potential to create your own library of information that is easily navigated and all on one screen. Integrating new data or amending existing data is simple as you aren’t tied to a rigid structure – a Mind Map is a living document.

4) Project Manage

Manage time, data and resources to achieve new levels of productivity with iMindMap’s award winning Project Management System. Create Mind Maps to scope projects, then add tasks, dates, predecessors, milestones and durations. Incorporating Gantt charts, Task Tables and Mind Maps, this tool can be fully integrated with Outlook and Microsoft Project to ensure you never leave a project unfinished or behind schedule again.

5) Problem Solve

Find innovative solutions with a tool that provides a space for exploring relationships between the various facets of a problem and inspires creative and critical thinking. By creating a Mind Map you can view all the elements of a problem at once – stimulating creative association and integration. The process acts as a trigger device for your creativity and encourages your brain to track out ideas which normally lie in obscurity at the edge of your thinking. The iMindMap software gives you complete freedom to manipulate and draw connections between your ideas, without interrupting your train of thought. If you’ve ever felt like your hitting your head against a brick wall trying to figure out a solution or come up with a new idea, you need to try Mind Mapping!

6) Collaborate

Collaborate with others to develop plans or implement key projects. A Mind Map allows you to harness the input of all members of a group in a dynamic and creative way and is proven to enhance critical thinking. Contributions can be added to the relevant branches and either explored further, or put on hold for later discussion. With iMindMap Ultimate, you can also capture audio notes and attach them to your map to ensure no comment is missed without losing the momentum of the discussion.

7) See the Bigger Picture

A Mind Map is a perfect platform for analysing your business, making decisions and anticipating potential threats or risks. PEST, SWOT, Five Forces, SMART, Six Thinking Hats, Four P’s, Balanced Scorecard, Value Chain Analysis and any business model you may wish to explore, can be simplified and enhanced by using a Mind Map as your workspace. The radiating nature of a Mind Map allows limitless expansion of ideas whilst keeping a coherent and organised structure – providing you with the whole picture in one visual snapshot.

Interested in Mind Mapping? You can get a FREE TRIAL of iMindMap, the only Mind Mapping software from Tony Buzan, the inventor of Mind Maps if you click on the banner on the right side.

2 your online sucess, Dirk

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Improving Productivity with Mind Maps

Walking into the office each morning, you are already performing mental gymnastics trying to figure out how you’ll get through your task list for the day, only to be confronted by twenty equally urgent and demanding messages, and the phone ringing off the hook. Sound familiar?

The past decade has seen meteoric advances in communication, with emails, Facebook, SMS, Twitter, Skype, Ping, blogs, feeds and a myriad other indispensable forms of ‘connecting’ and absorbing information. With such resources at our disposal productivity should be soaring, shouldn’t it? However, whilst the world may well be at your fingertips, you are unfortunately equally within reach of the world too.

Managing this bombardment of information you receive everyday and juggling the resulting tasks is in itself a full time job. There just aren’t enough hours in the day – so what can you do? Well you can start by creating more time. Using Mind Maps can streamline your working day and is proven to improve productivity by 20% – that means you can gain an extra working day every week!

How can Mind Mapping improve my productivity?

One of the simplest and most effective ways to use Mind Mapping and boost your productivity is to begin each day by spending five minutes creating a Mind Map ‘to do’ list. This will allow you to view and review your tasks, prioritising according to deadlines and realistically determining what is achievable in the time you have available.

1. Begin by making your day your map’s central idea

2. Add on main branches for key tasks or projects that you need to accomplish or work on that day.

3. From these main branches, draw child branches with names, events, time deadlines or other keywords that make up the specific actions needed to complete the bigger task.

4. Look for links between different tasks. Does one task directly impact another? Draw relationship arrows to demonstrate this.

As you build your Mind Map you can get a clear picture of your workload and view each task objectively. You can determine what’s important and what’s not, see how certain projects will relate and impact on other tasks, and block your time to achieve optimum productivity.

A good way to track your progress through the tasks is to create a separate Mind Map with the main branches as different time segments of the day. Then select tasks from your day’s Mind Map to add onto these branches, creating a schedule for the day. With the iMindMap software you can copy and paste branches between maps as you schedule them to be done so that you are left with a clear picture of what is left to do. There is no need to start again or re-draft your maps so you can save even more time with iMindMap.

How can Mind Mapping help me long term?

There is no need to restrict this to a daily schedule. The same principles work for weekly, monthly, even annual planning. You can create main branches that cover broad topics, such as Finance, Personal Development, any long term projects, personal issues – any thing that requires action on your part. Then use child branches to drill down into tasks, deadlines and deliverables. A Mind Map allows you to group tasks or ideas in a limitless radiating structure, so you can have a clear, organised picture of what you need to do to achieve your goals all in one place.

Another time saving tip is to create templates for your work schedule that you can use daily or weekly. You can either pre-draw and photocopy a number of these, or add a template into the iMindMap software. Then simply add on the tasks to be completed to the relevant time periods.

How can iMindMap consolidate and share information?

With the iMindMap software you can easily share your plans with your colleagues with the click of a button. Export to other office applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Project, as well as OpenOffice and iWork, or simply send your maps as image files. You can also attach files or links to your map, such as spreadsheets, meeting agendas, proposals, web pages, audio files – any relevant information can be stored in one place, easily accessible. The flexibility of the software is designed to make your life as easy as possible and to facilitate high levels of productivity.

Productivity is about streamlining your work practises and making the most of your time. Mind Mapping can be easily incorporated into your working day, providing a space to keep track of your ‘To Do’ list in a concise, practical and productive way. Regain control of your workload, reach new levels of productivity and lower your stress levels with Mind Mapping!

Interested in boosting productivity in your company? You can get a FREE trial of iMindMap, the only Mind Mapping software from Tony Buzan, the inventor of Mind Maps.

2 your learning success, Dirk

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Have a Fantastically Fulfilling 2010 and Goal Set!

Goal setting is fundamental to success in any aspect of your life – be it in personal pursuits, health, work or financially. Now that we have arrived at the foothills of a new decade, in the midst of widespread social and economic change, it is the perfect time to reflect on your own situation in life and consider your ambitions and dreams. Now is the time to decide how you WILL make these a reality, and become a more confident, happy and successful individual.
Constructive goal setting using Mind Mapping can help you get back in control of your life in a time when many are having to re-evaluate and adapt in order to stay afloat. It can create the clarity you need to find new direction for the future. By allowing you to explore yourself innermost wishes, Mind Mapping can help you resolve any internal conflicts and establish clearly defined priorities for all areas of your life. By knowing exactly what you want to achieve, you can focus your time, energy and resources accordingly.

 iMindMap is the perfect tool for goal setting. Not only can you create an organic, visual representation of your goals, that stimulates your mind, but you can also enjoy the flexibility of the software – editing, adjusting, and expanding on ideas with just a few clicks of the mouse.

Let’s find out how you can do this!

(1) Brainstorm Your Main Goals
Spend as much time as you need brainstorming your key goals. Use the iMindMap Goal Setting template and base your goals around these main themes:

‘ Career/Business ‘ What aspirations do you have for your career? What could you do to improve your performance? Do you want to change careers? If you are running your own business, how do you want it to progress?
‘ People ‘ How do you want your relationship with your partner to develop? Do you have any aims in relation to being a parent or improving your parenting skills? If single, do you want to find a relationship? Do you want to improve relations with your extended family and friends?
‘ Wealth/Finances ‘ What are your goals regarding your personal finances? How much do you want to earn by a particular stage? Is there anything in particular you want to save for? Do you have any debts to pay off?
‘ Physical/Health ‘ Do you have any goals in regards to your health or fitness? Do you have any aims in terms of weight loss, or a specific physical training programme or sport?
‘ Growth/Personal Development ‘ Are you interested in pursuing any further education or training? What information and skills will you need to achieve other goals? For instance, you may want to learn a language or develop your abilities at public speaking.

 2) Make goals SMART
Once you have outlined your goals for 2010, you need to get a little more specific. Ensure that each of your goals follow the SMART guidelines (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based).

It is important to be precise and include dates, times, targets and amounts so that your achievements are measurable. To do this, add the following branches to each goal:

‘ Now ‘ Your current situation in regards to the goal
‘ Target ‘ What exactly do you want to accomplish?
‘ When ‘ Establish a time frame.

(3) Actions
Now you can outline the steps and actions that you will take to achieve your goals. Add a new branch entitled ‘How’.

Break down the tasks that you need to carry out to achieve each goal. If you want to go into further detail, you can set time-frames or milestones for your tasks, allowing you to measure your progress.

(4) ‘To-Do’ Mind Maps
You can also create a daily/weekly ‘To Do’ Mind Map outlining the tasks that need to be done within that timeframe for each goal. This will improve the practicality of your goal setting as you can quickly identify any changing priorities, as well as progress. You can then adjust your main ‘Goals’ Mind Map to reflect these changes, boosting your motivation along the way. What’s more, as Mind Mapping encourages a free flow of ideas and associations, you could end up discovering new, innovative ways to reach your goals.

REMEMBER
Every time you reach a goal, update your Mind Map to show your achievement. You should also review your Mind Map and adjust it to match any changes in your perspective. For instance, if you reached the goal too easily, make your next goal in that area more challenging. However, if the goal took a disheartening amount of time and effort, make the next one a little more attainable.

If you fail to meet any of your goals, do not be discouraged. You can learn from your experience, and feed this knowledge back into your Mind Map. Likewise, if particular goals no longer hold any attraction, then simply remove them from your Mind Map and focus your attention on goals that you are eager to achieve. Your Mind Map should work with you and for you, making the goal setting process more enjoyable and rewarding.

GOOD LUCK! Dirk

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