mindmapping suits me better

  • Thread starter Thread starter izzy
  • Start date Start date
I

izzy

Guest
I'm a freelance editor and often take on more work than I have capacity for. I came into GTD last year and was really enthusiastic about it because it was helping me to get lots of things done. Lately, however, I've had so many projects going on that I was beginning to lose sight of things and was panicking because I felt that I wasn't in control any longer. I've gone back to making a weekly mindmap so now have a "picture" of what I have to do and that seems to suit me best. The only GTD item that's still working for me is my Tickler which is a godsend keeping me up to date with appointments and meetings. Just wanted to share this - mindmaps and the Tickler work best for me.
 
I have just been working with mindmapping and am intrigued by your use on a weekly plan. Can you share further with us how your map looks?

Thanks,

Ranny
 
Mindmapping

I use mindmapping and GTD. I don't think they are mutually exclusive. My lists are a MindManager mindmap with categories as contexts.

Are yours PC based or paper based?

Pixlz
 
mindmapping and ToDo lists

I've used mindmapping for a long while to organize my ToDo list and have nearly always done it on the PC. The only exception is when I'm not near one (or the cabin crew won't let me switch it on!). Then I'm always rubbing out and redrafting.

On the PC I find sheet size a problem - too many things to do, like most people nowadays.

I switched to Topicscape, which helps with the size problem a lot. It lets you see more things at one time, while keeping a mindmapping-style clarity of relationships. You can swing the landscape to center around any topic, so it also lets you take different views of the "stuff", view the "today" tasks as well as the "hi priority" and "daily". Because it lets you have the same task in several places, you don't have to worry about moving things and losing them (or forgetting them).
 
Ranny.Welton;45939 said:
I have just been working with mindmapping and am intrigued by your use on a weekly plan. Can you share further with us how your map looks?

Thanks,

Ranny
Click to expand...

I use a big piece of yellow paper - A3 size - draw a circle in the middle and write the week number. This week is Week 7 (= 12 - 18th Feb.).

Coming off that circle I have drawn 6 lines leading to other circles. These circles have to do with 5 projects and my personal life. I've written the titles of the projects into the circles and "Personal" into the personal one. Off these circles I've drawn lines which lead to the specific things. I'll explain two of these circles + lines explicitly to take you to the next level.
Off the circle called "ET" (which is my shorthand for a book I have to get finished by end Feb.) I have 10 things to do before I can get it finished. These are: prepare the Imprint, do the bullet points for the back cover, write the preface, do the contents list, etc. ; coming off my "Personal" circle I have 5 lines = 3 x private appointments, 1 x optician's apointment and a message to phone my aunt on her birthday. I have the dates and times beside all of these things, telling me when I should meet someone and where.
Once I've done whatever has to be done, I score if off the mindmap. (I like to see the scored off stuff. It shows I've achieved something :-)).
On Sunday, I'll take a new piece of paper and draw a big circle for Week 8 and transfer anything left over from Week 7 onto this new mindmap.
I combine my mindmapping with my Tickler which holds any documents that have to be dealt with (e.g. the form I have to take to the optician today was in there for me to find yesterday; there was a birthday card for my aunt in there, waiting to be posted on 10th Feb. On my mindmap for week 6, I had made a note "post birthday card - 10th.")
Mindmapping + Tickler are all I need.
 
pixlz;45940 said:
I use mindmapping and GTD. I don't think they are mutually exclusive. My lists are a MindManager mindmap with categories as contexts.

Are yours PC based or paper based?

Pixlz
Click to expand...

Paper based. At the end of the week, when all the jobs are done, I screw the paper into a ball and chuck it into the wastepaper basket. I love the noise it makes :-).
Please see other reply which I've just posted.
 
pixlz;45940 said:
I use mindmapping and GTD. I don't think they are mutually exclusive. My lists are a MindManager mindmap with categories as contexts.

Pixlz
Click to expand...

Can you somehow sort these or filter them so its the only thing you "see"?
 
mindmapping suits me better

tjisolutions;45958 said:
Can you somehow sort these or filter them so its the only thing you "see"?
Click to expand...

Yes there is a power filter option which works really well. You can filter on any of the attributes you have given the branch.

Pixlz
 
Roy;45941 said:
I switched to Topicscape
Click to expand...

I downloaded Topicscape yesterday and have been getting to grips with it today. It looks really interesting. I am wading through the pdf file learning how to use it at the moment.

Have you managed to turn off the changing colored glow behind the current topic? I can't it doesn't appear to be an option and apparently it makes your processor race a little.

Pixlz
 
Turning off the Topicscape glow cycle

Yes, it's in the Options panel. First make sure you're in users mode. Click on toolbar, mode button, options, apply user's mode settings. Then on the Appearance tab there's a checkbox 'enable changing colored glow' - uncheck it.

The topicscape website has the whole user manual on it and it's searchable. Anyway, go to http://www.topicscape.com/Topicscape-Pro/usersguide/help.php?page=128 and do a ctrl+f for glow or cycles. But that doesn't tell you about the users mode trick!
 
pixlz;45971 said:
Yes there is a power filter option which works really well. You can filter on any of the attributes you have given the branch.

Pixlz
Click to expand...

I must have an older version than you...

the only filter option I can find is manually clicking on the ones I want to see item by item and then hit the filter button?
 
Filter option within Mindmanager

tjisolutions;45989 said:
I must have an older version than you...

the only filter option I can find is manually clicking on the ones I want to see item by item and then hit the filter button?
Click to expand...

I have Mindmanager Pro 6. At the top of the window there is a drop menu called Filter, power filter and then you can choose what you want to see or exclude.

Send me a personal message if you would like any more information.

Pixlz

Attached files
 
tjisolutions;45989 said:
I must have an older version than you...

the only filter option I can find is manually clicking on the ones I want to see item by item and then hit the filter button?
Click to expand...

Are you using a Mac, by any chance? The Mac version has less extensive filtering than the PC version. :(

Katherine
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top