Sheena Walker

actually works so let's start with a central idea so you've got your a4 page or you have an a4 page on your computer and your idea word starts right in the middle of your page and this could be

a goal, a topic or a problem that you want to solve.

The A4 page and you've got one idea in the middle.

Are you with me?

Next, I want you to draw branches from that central word.

And these would be your main themes or categories.

Then underneath, expand those branches into smaller subtopics.

And this is where your idea really starts to grow.

So can you picture

My trees and the giant trees in the large forest.

Picture it, the thick stump, the big long stump and then the branches coming out from the left and the right with the key topics.

And that way your brain will remember intentional words.

So if it's only one or two words on the first branch, your brain will remember it.

And then when you go down to the next branch, you'll write another couple of words of the idea from that initial thought.

I want you to think about this.

I don't want you to write sentences.

I used to do that, hands up.

When I first drew my branches, I'd write a whole sentence.

And now it took me a while to go from the sentence to a couple of words.

But I find the words that keeps things clear and flexible and then you can remember.