how to use brain central
Brain Central evolved from an argument I had with my husband. We both lead busy
lives, as most people do, and had a hard time sharing a lot of basic information. We
needed a space to record our meetings, plan our meals, track our spending, and
encourage us to exercise. We also needed a space to make sure our bills were paid
and to remind of us simple chores that we needed to do around the house.
I had been working on a way to record my spending for over a year, but I knew that
there were more things that I wanted to track. I wanted to see how my life
corresponded with my spending, my exercise and day-to-day activities. I had also read
that the most successful people write down their goals. I also wanted to include fun
things, like favorite meals and memorable moments and quotes.
Think of Brain Central as both a planner and a journal. We have it posted
next to the door. We also keep a pencil nearby for easy addition.
Begin with adding the dates next to the days of the week. Start with
this Sunday. Don't put it off until the beginning of a new month! Use
colored pens to write in the date. Change the color of the date with the
beginning of a new month. Then take your date books and add in your meetings
and appointments. If you have several people in your home, you can add
their initial by each meeting. Later, you can go back and add what actually
happened. I have also recorded big events in the space above the day,
like Hurricane Frances.
Next plan your family meals by writing them in the menu section. You
don't have to do this far in advance. Or you don't have to do it at all.
Instead you can use this space to record what you actually ate. It is
interesting to see how much people go out to eat versus eating in. Or
you can record your diet or how much you are spending on food. It is really
up to what you want to include. This is Henry's favorite section of brain
central. So many of our arguments stem from when we are hungry and can't
decide what to eat. By writing down what we are going to eat in advance,
it becomes a non-issue. This is a major stress reliever.
Write down what you spend in the money section. Money is a great thing to record.
After reading several financial planning books, I found that they all
encourage people to record everything they spend. I know that this is
extreme and may seem difficult. But it is helpful just to look at what
you spend in an average week. If you want to do this once and never again,
that is fine. You can use the space for something else. But you might
be surprised what you learn about yourself. Does your spending correlate
with your exercise habits? Or does eating out have to do with how busy
you are? Do you go on a spending spree once a month?
Exercise is not something that I grew up doing on a regular basis. It
is so hard for me to build it into my routine. For a brief period of time,
it was easier for me to walk almost a mile to work and back than any other
mode of transportation. That was one of the most amazing periods of my
life. Weight melted away and instead of taking a nap in the evening, I
was relaxed and full of energy. Not everyone has that opportunity, but
every little bit of exercise helps! Record your exercise in the exercise
section. You will be amazed out how much better you feel when the little
row is full instead of empty. Every little bit counts - just get up and
get moving! Do something you love! Sing and dance! Anything!
Use the Bills, Cleaning and Daily reminder section to help you keep track
of the not-so-fun aspects of l ife. If you have it all written down in
a space, you don't have to remember it. I have included grayed out text
for different types of items to include. You can fill in over top with
your personal list of bills and chores. The columns allow you to mark
the date of when they are due and completed. You can also use initials
if you would like to record who does or pays what.
Use Brain Central to record your goals. I once read that the most successful
people in life write down their goals. If you have a dream, you have to
begin with writing it down. Life is full of baby steps. So let’s see what
those baby steps are. There are two different spaces for goals. You can
use one for yourself and the other for your partner. Or you can use one
for work and the other for your personal life. The possibilities are limitless.
What do you want to do in this life? This is your first step to making
it happen!
Brain Central is not just about being tedious! It is also about having
fun, documenting great memories, appreciating the last four weeks, and
much more. Use the favorite media to record your fa vorite book, movie,
new song, magaz ine article, or whatever. Write down your favorite meal.
My in-laws love food. They savor every meal. That is not typical. But
think about your favorite food experience and record it under the favor
ite meal section. Include the most memorable event you have experienced.
Brain Central provides you with a snapshot of everything that is going
on your life. Ideally you should have a memorable event to help visualize
the time, as well. The quote at the top of the page can be something that
inspires you, makes you laugh, or you can't believe you heard! Your quote
is just another bit of wisdom to lead you through the four weeks or a
fun memory to look back on.
The more you have included on Brain Central, the less you have to remember. Brain
Central seems a tad bit obsessive compulsive, but you will find that it is a space for you
to relax and allow yourself a little more time to play.
Please let me know what you think about Brain Central! Has it changed your
life? Is it too much? Brain Central is a working experiment. Share your stories with us.
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