Take a Brain Dump!

Better Homes and Gardens really had it going on for me with this suggestion to keep a small notebook with you at all time and use it as a constant brain dump. My sister (a Classic Freedom) uses one as do I , (an Organic Freedom) but the contents of these two notebooks couldn’t be MORE different.

Okay this is embarrassing. I happen to have Kelly’s notebook on me and, well, it looks an awful lot like mine. There are numbered lists mixed in with random notes. But, she takes this notebook and transfers everything into a more organized format on her computer, which syncs with her Blackberry. The main difference in our notebooks are small details, of which I am averse. Kelly’s numbered lists are crossed off, while mine are not. Also, I have doodles, lots of goofy doodles. Nothing like that for her. All business.

But the big difference is that I often don’t refer back to my lists. But when I look at them a couple of months later, everything seems to be done. Or I have decided not to do them. Kelly will remove things from her To Do list if it appears it won’t get done, or needs to be abandoned. Also, my lists don’t need to be transferred. They often come out pretty organized (Organic Freedom, Smart Freedom and Fun types actually have VERY organized brains) but other times it will be all over the place.

Regardless, this tip is good for all types, except for the second part, “Go through your scribblings each evening and put your thoughts in their appropriate places, such as your calendar or to-do list.” Sorry, but this ruins it for me. I felt like, finally, someone GETs me and then I get that horrible “appropriate” word thrown at me. Sorry, but who has the right to say what’s appropriate? What WORKS and what’s EASIEST for you is what’s appropriate. Period. 

Originally published on January 13, 2010.