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

People are starting to latch on to the fact that using mind maps on the computer makes thinking much easier in a variety of 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 the way we think.

Mind Mapping has its roots in being a note-taking tool designed for students. So, unsurprisingly, much of the early growth and expansion of the use of the process has been in education. Schools and colleges across the country have started or are starting to adopt the concept.

It took him a little longer to reach the higher levels 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’re on), or because parents they had seen their children use it.

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

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

It has many uses in your personal, professional, and business life, and as we’ve already mentioned, it has huge benefits for those in education. The most encouraging thing about learning the technique is that it can be easily learned by anyone, regardless of their age or status in life. Children as young as 5 take it like duck to water and CEOs of large international companies in their sixties accept it just as easily.

It can be done by hand and there are some surprising benefits to doing it that way, but for starters I suggest you try a good mind mapping software package. This way you’ll get the idea of ​​the process with just a few clicks of your mouse and you’ll be able to create stunning mind maps in minutes. If you want to use the pen and paper variety you can, but I realize with technology these days that’s no longer necessary.