Mind Mapping is the amazing thinking tool that if you think Mind Map evangelists are taking the world by storm and it is insane taking the nation by storm. Of course, there is a bit of a hype in those kinds of statements, but the fact is that mind maps have become very popular in recent years. This increase in interest has not been driven by the original paper form of the technique, but by the proliferation of multiple Mind Map software programs.

People are starting to cling to the fact that using mind maps on the computer makes thinking so much easier in many ways. In my opinion, this impact on the way we use our computer is far greater than the impact the original paper form had on our way of thinking.

Mind Mapping has its roots in being a note-taking tool designed for students. So, unsurprisingly, much of the initial growth and expansion of the use of the process has taken place in education. Schools and universities across the country have started or are beginning to embrace the concept.

It took him a little longer to reach the highest echelons of higher education, but he is there. Mind maps began to appear on the business scene, either through enlightened people who read Tony Buzan’s original book on the subject (it has two different titles depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on), or because parents they had seen their children use it.

The reason it has been adopted by so many people so quickly is because it is a powerful technique that works. It’s as simple as that.

So what are mind maps? Well, it is a technique that takes the organization of ideas (whether their own or others’) and puts them in a format that our brain finds much easier to process, understand and remember. It uses keywords and images that give you an efficiency in the capture of information that saves you time and increases your productivity. It has a radiating branch-like structure that reflects the way the neurons in our brain interconnect, which means that the flow and memory of information is much more effective. And it is created in a color that stimulates our brain more.

It has many uses in your personal, professional and business life and, as we have already mentioned, it has enormous benefits for those who are engaged in education. The most encouraging thing about learning the technique is that anyone can easily learn it, regardless of age or life situation. Children as young as 5 years old adopt it like a duck in water, and CEOs of large international companies in their sixties adopt it just as easily.

It can be done by hand and there are some amazing benefits to doing it that way, but for starters I suggest you try using a good Mind Map software package. In this way, you will get the idea of ​​the process with just a few clicks of your mouse and you can create impressive mind maps in minutes. If you want to use the pen and paper variety you can, but I am finding that with technology these days it is no longer necessary.