February 16, 2022
Stay focused with mind mapping
Studies have shown that three-quarters of our time is spent retrieving information. And it’s seriously diminishing our concentration. When important information is spread across a variety of different tools and programs, it makes it tough to get things done. The truth is, when our attention is scattered we often lose sight of our end goal. Focus can be the difference between success and failure, but luckily we’re here to help improve yours.
Mind mapping will let you cut through the noise and give you the freedom to think. You’ll be able to tidy up cluttered information and increase your concentration. Below, we’ve noted down our top tips to reclaim your focus. Take a look and put them into practice.
Cut the clutter
Information can be overwhelming. When we experience information overload, our brains become fatigued and we end up being more forgetful – neither of which is ideal. Fortunately, in mind maps you can break down large amounts of information into bite-sized chunks by using keywords. This will condense your information into a more manageable load. Plus, by capturing the most crucial details, you won’t get flustered by what doesn’t immediately require your attention, and will instead stay focused on the task at hand.
Comprehend complex information
No matter how large a project or task, mind mapping will help to give you a clear understanding of any topic. A mind map gives information in a way that appeals to your brain, helping to present even the most complex of information in a simple form. Colour code branches to hone in on what you need to know, not what’s nice to know. Use icons, such as flags, to organise and prioritise important text. Use relationship arrows to highlight connections between similar topics. By maintaining a clear and structured mind map, struggling to get your head around dense topics will be a thing of the past.
Overcome obstacles with creativity
A mind map presents information in a visual and appealing way, encouraging you to draw out creative solutions and focus on the problem at hand. Thanks to their radiating format, mind maps mimic the natural way your brain processes information. With this in mind, customise your mind map in a way that’s unique to you. For instance, make your mind map memorable by using images to add context to keywords. In return, your mind map will encourage you to be more creative, turbo-charging you towards resolutions. Mind maps’ friendly nudge towards creativity is a powerful tonic to mundaneness which often leads to a lack of focus. Why? As creating, innovating and imagining is what makes us feel purposeful and human, a sure-fire way to keep you feeling inspired. As a result, by making goals more attainable and tasks more achievable through boosted creativity, you will find your loss of focus lost to the past!
Summary
Mind maps are an incredibly versatile resource, principally because they engage further areas of your brain. Contrastingly, when you lose focus, your brain’s power is sapped. As discussed above, how mind maps support your brain is achieved in a variety of ways – breaking down information, offering visual stimuli, encouraging creativity etc. Overall, by offering your brain exactly what it needs to perform to it’s best, mind maps really are the perfect remedy to a loss of focus!
We all have lots to do and things to focus on but could you spare a second to share your best focus-enhancing top tip in the comments below? You might even stumble upon a transformative new technique!