Tony Buzan Course

I was sent by my company to one of the courses by Tony Buzan yesterday. (If you don't know who he is, check out his website: www.buzanworld.com). My course was about communication and presentation skills, using his famous trademark Mind-Mapping methods. It was my first personal development program with this new company, and I had to say, it was not bad. Tony Buzan certainly knew his stuffs and his delivery was interesting. I ended up buying 3 out of 4 of his most recommended books on Mind Mapping and related topics. The course was not on Mind-mapping itself, still, I managed to grasp the gist of it. Will need to read the books, though, before I can apply it to the daily work.
I bought one book titled "Brain Child" from Tony too. At first, I passed it, telling him, I'm not attached nor married with child, the book is irrelevant. But he said, well, just buy and read, and get prepared for "next time"; or; I can read it "for the child in me" I started on "Use your head" last night, and it was interesting. Will update once I finish reading it.
I went home with a bag full of books, colored pens and highlighter, and a drawing pad full of funny and colourful mind-maps, exercises from the course. It's refreshing to be away from your work in the middle of the week to learn something new. But.... as predicted, I've got a mountain of work awaiting my presence today!!!!!
Next week will be extremely busy (again) - with all the Orientation, International Reception, Medical Check ups, and countless new transfer applications to processs.... * I should just run away*!!!!
Anyhow, here is a brief introduction on Mind-mapping (I googled it, from Cleverfox). For those who want to know what I've been ranting about...
How To Mind Map
Mind Mapping is a simple but often underused tool that can help people complete a variety of tasks, quickly and easily.
Developed by psychologist and author Tony Buzan in the 1970's as a way of improving learning, Mind Mapping is now used globally - from the boardroom to the classroom - as a way of improving performance, efficiency and personal effectiveness.
If you are not familiar with a Mind Map, it might look like messy scrawls on a piece of paper. But to someone who Mind Maps, it actually creates order out of thoughts that can sometimes be chaotic.
The main point is not how a Mind Map looks, but what it does for you.
Mind Mapping is a tool that engages both your left and right brain hemispheres. As a result you actually complete activities effectively and with better quality.
All you need is blank unlined paper and coloured pens and you're ready to go. Here are a few basic rules to follow when Mind Mapping.
1. Turn your paper sideways or landscape.
2. Draw a picture in the centre of the page to capture the topic you are going to Mind Map. Use at least three colours for the central image. Make it large enough to indicate that it's the topic.
3. Next draw thick, curvy branches radiating outwards from the central image. These thick branches are called Basic Ordering Ideas, or BOIs. Think of BOIs as chapter headers. Ensure that your BOIs are connected to the central image.
4. Write your key word on the branch. Ensure that the length of the branch is the same length as the branch word above it.
5. Connect thinner branches from the end of the branch. These thinner branches act as your second level of thought that are triggered by the main branch or BOI. Use the same colour for branches radiating from a specific BOI.
6. Continue adding further levels of data on subsequent thinner branches as more thoughts come to you.
7. Use images and colour throughout your map. Where possible use an image instead of a word.
8. Capture all thoughts, even if it initially seems unrelated to what you are doing.
9. Draw arrows or dotted lines to link themes on different branches to indicate that the information is connected.
If you are a beginner at Mind Mapping, it may take some time getting used to the process. Keep at it, you'll soon find that the benefits are well worth it!