Mindmapping

Diagram by Philippe Boukobza

One of my techniques for writing notes in classes was to create diagrams. Other times I would still write them in sentences but I would connect them to other sections of my notes using lines or marks. I never thought that there would be a computer program that would get close to how I worked but I've found that there are quite few mindmapping programs that get pretty close. Mindmapping is a fancy word for diagrams where there is a central word or idea that is connected to other related ones. Essentially you end up with a large branching diagram that looks like the root of a tree.

The program I'm using now is called MindNode (the free version) and it's been an great experience working with it. It works just like a the mindmapping process I explained above and it's is mainly promoted for its use as a brainstorming tool. However the way I use it is more structured and less spontaneous. Still, in certain circumstances, creating diagrams like these feels a lot more natural to me than writing outlines or using prose. For example when looking to learn how to procrastinate less I created a mindmap of the reasons and possible solutions to my procrastination problem.

I feel that using mindmaps is a great alternative for people looking to organize and better understand their ideas.