Sorry, Boss! No time to work today… My brain is too busy.

Do you ever feel like your brain is too busy to focus on your work? I’m an avid user of To Do lists for getting my busy thoughts on paper, computer, or phone without compromising productivity. Truth be told, I’m also an avid loser and rewriter of said To Do list… I digress.

Beginning in elementary school, I was taught to brainstorm my thoughts on paper before starting a major product or essay. What we called a “bubble map” is now called a “graphic organizer” in educational settings and “brain mapping” in creative thinking communities. This morning, I found myself trying to illustrate my thought processes and the resulting tasks on an online brain mapping site. I’ve been looking for a more visual, insightful way to present my non-linear ideas for work and volunteer projects. The fantastic Jane Tyson introduced me to Thortspace and I find myself pondering other applications of mind-mapping.

Can you imagine calling your boss to tell him/her, “Sorry! I can’t work today because my mind is just too busy.”? Journaling helps to get things on paper but it has an innate structure to it that I sometimes find off-putting. I’m inspired by bulletjournaling and the artistic freedom that comes with it. So inspired that I could get lost in the planning for it and never actually implement it. Alas, it isn’t practical for me.

Then, I think of my son… For Elijah, writing is most often associated with schoolwork. While I want him to learn to enjoy writing, it isn’t helpful for him today as a coping strategy. This brings me back to mind-mapping…

Instead of using graphic organizers strictly for school or even therapy, how could we include the concept to calm a busy brain? Stay tuned for our experience with this after a short break…