Mother's Day Mind Map
(for conventional and non-conventional thinkers!)
By Jean Marie Herron
Not everyone is a "list maker" or thinks in a logical, sequential order the way a professional organizer does. For those who don't (as well as those who do), here's a great tool to get your ideas, goals and tasks down on paper so you can manage a small to large project on your own in a simplistic way. It's called a Mind Map.
What you would do is take a goal/project/idea that you want to accomplish; write that down in a circle in the middle of a piece of paper. For example, "Mother's Day Party" will be my project for this mind map. Then think of all the things you want or need to do to make this party happen. Put each thought or task on a line stemming from the circle.
Mother's Day Mind Map Example: (click here to view large version of map)
When you think of something to do such as "determine date and time" you'll start to think of tasks associated with determining a date such as creating a list, calling or writing invitations. Now your brain is on a roll. Simply branch off that first line with another line. Every time you think of something that needs to be done, add another branch.
It's almost as if you're growing a tree (your project is the tree trunk). You keep giving it life (ideas/tasks) by building up the branches of brainstorming and each new detail becomes a growth spurt.
Usually my clients tell me they feel much more organized when they have finished their Mind Maps because now their brain is on paper and they can SEE what they have to do. I teach my students that you must first make your time visual in order to organize it. Getting the things you want to do in ink let's you see it just like physically seeing clutter on your kitchen counter. Once we can see your tasks on paper, we have the opportunity to organize them by giving the To-Do's a home in your calendar. And that's how things get done!
(For more information, "Google" Mind Map, there are plenty of sites with free downloads like www.mindomo.com.)
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At POSSE Partners, LLC (Professional Organizing Solutions Serving Everyone) we cater to homeowners who want one-on-one help with their organizing endeavors whether it's their space, papers or time. Besides transferring these organizing skills to our clients, we also hold organizing classes called Clutter Corrals, have a monthly forum for supporting each other called POSSE's Pen and we also give organizing presentations as well. To learn more about the author and owner, Jean Marie Herron, and sign up for her free newsletter go to www.POSSEPartnersLLC.com.
