Reading

This is Tony Buzan’s latest book highlighting all the critical foundations of Mind Maps and how to apply the Buzan style to your mind mapping.

How to apply Mind Maps to a business setting. Great examples of applications of Mind Mapping to various business domains and in-depth case studies of using the technique for some of the largest problems in the world.

The “Most Important Graph in the World” is a seminal guide to how memory works and how to exploit that in presentation, training and education. The MIG is a practical tool to understand how to ensure that your message and you remain memorable.

In Brain Rules, John Medina does the crosswalk from our brains physiology to our behaviors. He outlines why we are affected the way we are by our brain’s functions and describes practical impacts and strategies for living with our brains. Brain Rules!

Clifford Nass was ringing the warning bell about how badly our brains were dealing with new technologies years before it became an internet meme. Tying back to his original research on ‘Distraction’ his world leading work is described with a tie back to the science of why our brains aren’t effective at managing the many conflicts we put before them daily.

What happens when you take a 10,000 year old brain and give it an iPhone?  The Distracted Mind!

Multi-tasking is a myth. The truth is we can’t handle it. Great book outlining the case for managing the wonderful devices we have been gifted by technology or suffering the consequences. HIGHLY RECCOMENDED READING.

Using neuroscience and psychology principles, Nicholas Carr makes the case that there is a conflict between the agenda of the large internet economy powerhouses and what’s good for us. He argues that there’s lots good to be said about ready access to information and entertainment, but just as with an overabundance of cheap and easy carbohydrates, self restraint is the key. If we’re not careful we’ll have a stupidity crisis just like we have an obesity crisis!

For those wanting to study more about the Pomodoro technique from the inventor himself. Francesco Cirillo explains the genesis of his idea and advises on the practical applications of this huge productivity driver.

Not actually a book. The mechanical tomato timer is the inspiration for the “Pomodoro Technique” and provides the perfect productivity accessory for your cave time. Turn the phone off and start setting time boundaries for your periods of focused work. DING!

Tim Pychil offers up practical ideas for overcoming Procrastination. By linking from fundamental psychological research he describes the why and the what to do about it for procrastinators everywhere!

This is one of my favorite pads for doing hand drawn mind maps. At 18 inches by 24 inches it gives you enough space to develop out a robust mind map. It’s also side wound!

If you need something a bit more compact this 9 inch by 12 inch alternative pad provides a great knee top/laptop alternative. Great 70lb paper weight too that gives a great surface for drawing

These pens are the ones we use in MindMapUSA class. Great colors and double ended to allow fine and broad work to be done. As starters/value pens they are great and Staedtler quality always is good.

If you fancy a step up these are my favorite double ended pens. Prismacolor always perform and give rich color detail plus they are ergonomically nice to handle. Well worth the step up if you like working with nice tools. The 12 pack is a great place to start.

Need more color in your life. Get the Prismacolor 24 in a nice case

Even more colors? Yep, here’s the 48 count!