Taking Stock of 2010 with Mind Mapping

 

 

Hello July! You’ve come way too quickly and got me worried that we have just got six months of 2010 left to go :)

I’m just wondering - we all start the year on such a positive note, armed with resolutions and all, only to be forgotten within the first few days of January.

But there are some other things we’ve always wanted to do – some goals we’ve been wanting to achieve, some habits we’ve been trying to get rid off, a new hobby waiting to be learnt and these stay with us, hoping to be achieved some day, written somewhere in the diaries of our minds. Sometimes we get around to fulfilling them, sometimes not. Sometimes we forget all about them.

I’m sure you started 2010 with the hope that this year would be the year to accomplish some of these. So have you managed to do anything? Something? Hello, nothing? Half the year’s gone.

But the good news is, we still have the second half  left :) So as we step into July, lets take a quick few moments to analyse how the year has been, where we stand, where we want to go and how do we get there.

A good tool to help us do this is mind mapping – a technique I was introduced to recently. It’s something I would encourage you to take a few moments to understand (if you don’t already know) and give a try. It’s amazing how it helps de-clutter a cluttered mind, how it helps you focus.

Mind mapping is a simple graphical representation, drawn using key words and images, with a main goal or problem at the centre and related tasks and categories represented through branches and sub-branches all around it. For instance, if you want to plan your next holiday, then holiday will be the central theme with destinations, budgets, weather, accommodation, activities as sub categories.

Here’s an example illustrating mind mapping used to plan a holiday.

(Image Via)

This technique can be used in absolutely any sphere of your life, where you need to get your thoughts together to think clearly -  from something as simple as planning your weekly meals, work schedule, to a pitch presentation, strategy or crisis management, etc.

And all you need to get started is a blank something - piece of paper/ board/document, and some time.

Personally, I’ve used this exercise to get my thoughts together for an extensive article I’m writing and it’s proved to be very helpful. I believe that this will also be quite beneficial in helping us take a balanced look at our lives, our dreams, goals, achievements and failures.

So what are you waiting for? Get that piece of paper or open a new document in Paint and get started :) To help us get thinking for our Taking Stock 2010 Mind Mapping Session, I’ve got a sample diagram below.

If you do attempt this exercise, it would be great to hear your experience.