A mind map is a great way to brainstorm ideas and get clarity. There are many ways to use a mindmap maker, but there are also many things you should avoid doing with it since they can actually hinder the process of getting clear on your thoughts.
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1. Making the Map Too Big
This is one of the most common mistakes people make when using a mindmap maker. They think they need to put things together on a single map just because it’s called Mindmap, but that doesn’t mean you have to fill up an entire medium-sized paper, or even A4-sized paper with writing. A lot of people have the habit of first writing down everything they can think of, then crossing out some things and putting more on. This is a waste of time.
Mindmaps are meant to be used as reference windows so you can look up something specific very easily. It’s not supposed to be filled with information just because it’s a mindmap. That’s like hiring an accountant to do your laundry, or a director to prepare dinner for you every single day. It just doesn’t make sense and it makes no efficient use of their time and skills.
Most people miss the point of using a mindmap maker free because they think that they need to put everything down on paper in order to understand it. What they don’t realize is that most times, mindmaps are used to refresh your memory about something you already know pretty well instead of learning things from scratch.
If you can’t think of a topic for a mindmap maker online, the next time you’re reading a book or article, go ahead and try making a map of what you’re reading. This way, it will help you recall the information much better than just reading it off the page since it’s broken down into bite-sized chunks that are easier to digest. You can also use a mindmap maker guide.
On the other hand, if you do need a mindmap maker, you should check out Venngage.
2. Using A Mindmap To Make Plans/Schedules For The Future
An online mindmap maker is meant to be used for planning out projects, writing an essay or creating a schedule. We all have that one friend who always brings his mindmap everywhere to make plans for everything under the sun. That, of course, isn’t the right way to use a mindmap.
There are other ways to make plans and create schedules other than using mindmaps. For example, you can use a timeline instead. There are tons of software for that, and not to mention the fact that you can just use pen or paper too if that’s how you roll.
Mindmaps are great for brainstorming, theory crafting, and keeping track of ideas and thoughts in your head. That’s why most writers use mindmaps to come up with new content for articles like this one.
If you want a digital tool that makes it easier to manage tasks and create schedules, there’s no need to use a mindmap at all. Just try using a typical task management tool.
Source: BiljaST
3. Using The Mindmap Software As A Crutch To Think Less
Some people will close their eyes and plug out everything around them except the screen of their computer or tablet to make a mindmap. This is one of the most common mistakes I see people doing all the time. The reason for closing your eyes when making a map is because you’re afraid of missing out on other ideas, but depending too much on the software will make you forget that there’s also an intuitive side to it that can help give you more creative bursts when thinking about ideas.
At one point in time, I used to make mindmap maker software where I’d drag and drop topics onto the page, then append subtopics underneath it. From there, I started creating sub-sub topics until it got to the point where whole sections of my mindmap were just clusters of ideas that weren’t organized at all!
This became one of the biggest reasons why people who saw my mindmaps hated them. They were disorganized and looked like a mess, but the funny thing was I was not aware of it at all! As a result, people who saw my mindmaps thought that I wasn’t smart enough to organize my thoughts because everything was just jumbled up into one big mess.
The solution to this problem is to trust less on the software and learn how you can use it as a helper rather than using it as a crutch.
4. Using A Mindmap To Obsess Over Minor Details
Who here makes mindmaps where each topic has at least 5 subtopics attached to them? While it’s extremely common to see this kind of stuff because people are taught to be perfectionists, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t try to make super-specific maps that could possibly go into infinite loops.
You need to find the right balance between detail and simplicity, otherwise, your maps will end up looking like a map of highways in Los Angeles. Nobody has time for that! If you’re trying to make a map of how your business works, don’t use a mindmap where all the topics and sub-topics are so specific because chances are, you’ll just end up expanding their scope way too far which makes your whole map unreadable.
Mindmaps should be used as tools for brainstorming ideas, not for amassing data or information that will basically clog up your brain space.
In Summary
Mind maps are an easy way to organize your thoughts in a visually appealing and simple form. Heck, some of us may still have one because it’s just so easy to create these things! You should, however, never do these things with them.