A brain dump is an efficient way to help clear your mind to make room for the things you need to focus on in life. However, it can be a time-consuming task, and not at all useful on a daily basis. A better short-term solution is to keep track of your obligations as you navigate the day. That will help you keep it all straight. You don’t have to carry all that information in your head. In fact, you really shouldn’t try to remember it all. That’s burdensome and inefficient. Let’s look at some ways you can focus on the important stuff in order to get more done.
Write It Down
If you like doing things by hand using pen and paper, that’s great. That old-fashioned way of keeping track of tasks and notes works just fine. And you avoid buying software and then having to learn to use it. A simple paper calendar or agenda book might be perfect for you to keep track of appointments and to-do lists. You might take advantage of the newest craze, creating your own bullet journal. It’s amazingly flexible and will allow you to customize your own system to keep track of your life. You will find this particularly appealing if you’re a creative type, or if you’re someone who thrives on organization, as you can set up the journal however you choose. I’ve grown to appreciate my bullet journal/Travelers Notebook setup. I make better use of the pages. I don’t have practically blank pages for some dates, and overflow on others. The system is versatile and you can choose from a number of notebooks. I have tried several so look for my review coming soon.
Use Technology
For the electronically-inclined, there are many digital tools to help you keep track of your daily agenda and obligations. You can use an online calendar like Google Calendar to record your appointments and reminders. That’s useful because the information can travel with you on all of your electronic devices. There are also apps for keeping track of tasks, grocery lists and other to-do’s, for example Wunderlist. A little online research will net you a host of options to consider. Evernote and Pocket are fun applications for taking notes to refer to later, or saving an article for future reading.
Group Tools
If you need to keep track of a work project involving colleagues or activities for your family, there are plenty of tools that can help with that, too. Project management apps like Trello and Asana can do the trick. Cozi is an app that helps groups like families manage their events and obligations. Google Calendar has features for more than one user also. These resources can be invaluable when it comes to making sure that everyone is where they’re supposed to be and avoiding being double booked.
Whatever tools you select, the key is to use them consistently. If you’re using group methods, be sure everyone’s on the same page to avoid frustration and confusion. There’s no need for you to hold every little detail of your life in your head. Find a system that works for you and use it regularly in order to maximize your memory and brain power.
