The “Brain Budget” is valuable tool that provides a strong foundation for keeping the brain sharp and healthy. This may be familiar to you but I want to introduce it for future reference.
The “Brain Budget” is a prioritization system used to maximize energy and create space in the day for healthy lifestyle activities, to find joy and be productive. It facilitates prioritizing consciously, being more present, increased focus and reserving “Brain Dollars” to decrease effects of chronic stress, inflammation and dis-ease while maintaining well-being. In my line of work, I notice that our “Brain Dollars” are not frequently taken into account when making plans, schedules and goals.
When creating your “Brain Budget” there are multiple areas of life to take into account with the following questions. To make this easier you can download a PDF here >>
Brain Budget Deposits: What gives you energy? Who gives you energy and support? What things will you do today that make you feel grounded, nourished, energized, happy?
Question: Can you add any more deposits to your day?
Brain Budget Withdrawals: What costs energy and doesn’t seem to give back? What actions are depleting, make you tired, create frustration or resentment, make you feel overwhelmed?
Question: Can you complete these actions more efficiently, limit or even change the timing?
As you plan your days and weeks, ask yourself:
- What is an investment for you, your family and your health?
- Are there any activities that are depleting you that you can let go of (temporarily or permanently)?
- What are your non-negotiable deposits? This is personal and will vary. It may be 8 hours of sleep (or a 20 minute nap), breakfast, exercise, being in nature, writing in a journal, your morning cup of coffee…really think about this and list at least 5.
Next steps:
- Once a week, look at your entire week and your brain budget. You want to insure that you have the brain dollars and reserves to do what matters most! It may be leading a meeting on Friday, holding a sleepover party at your house, having a great date with your partner, or training for an upcoming race.
- Balance your withdrawals and deposits – you do not want to be “in the red” or losing brain dollars on a daily basis. This chronic over-spending can result in debt and eventually bankruptcy or in other words – illness, brain fog, weight gain, or insomnia.
The goal is balancing our “Brain Dollars” and as a transformational life coach, I want to support you in this endeavor to keep your brain fit, focused and fabulous. To take this awareness further, download a PDF here >> and try this exercise.
