I can’t keep track of anything. Well, that’s not necessarily true. I can remember a lot. Our brains are very complex. They operate in so many different ways. Our brains can process and operate at high levels. When we see a ball being thrown, we calculate where it is going to land, move our bodies in response and can catch the ball. All that can happen within seconds. We don’t even put that much effort into it. You could have a conversation with someone while doing all these complicated movements and calculations. It’s amazing.
Yet, I can’t remember what I walked into a room for. I can’t remember what my mom told me to get at the store. Our brains are amazing, but they aren’t perfect. This is where a second brain can be your saving grace.
A second brain is when you don’t entirely rely on your brain to remember important information or ideas. You have something physical to look back on or remind you. It’s like a safety net for your forgetfulness! There have been so many times where I think of something I need to do and forget about it seconds later.There have been times where I said I would do something at a specific time and I completely forget about it. It happens all the time.
This post is part of a series of blog posts talking about different ways you can create a second brain.
Calendar
There are 3 main ways people keep track of their schedule.
Wall calendar
Pros:
- These are a great visual of your schedule. You can see everything!
- It is very easy for families to see and add to. It can be placed in one central location.
Cons:
- The days are limited in space. You can only fit so many activities in one square.
- It may be a good visual, but you can’t see every hour of your day. It’s not a great tool for planning complicated days.
- You can’t add notes. If you would like to add the address of an event or something you need to remember to bring, this isn’t the right calendar for you.
- You can’t set reminders. You will only remember when you look at the calendar.
- It’s not very portable. You can’t add to it when you don’t have it on hand.
- You have to get a new one every year. Not too hard, but worth noting.
Schedule planner
Pros:
- Similar pros to the wall calendar. It’s very visual and is easy for families to add to.
- There are usually pages where you can plan out your day in detail. You can plan out your day hour by hour if you’d like. Highly recommend this! It really helps with productivity.
- You can add notes.
- It can be fun to customize! You can use colored pens, stickers and other things to customize your planner.
Cons:
- It’s not the most portable but it is easier to transport than the wall calendar. You can’t add to it unless you have it with you. This can leave room for forgetfulness.
- Can’t set reminders.
- Can’t add to on the go unless you have it with you. I don’t know about you, but that’s a pain.
- Have to get a new one every year.
Digital calendar
Pros:
- It is very visual. You can color code and see the hours of the day.
- You can add descriptions or special info to your events. Locations, what you need to remember, links, etc.
- You have all the room you want to fit a packed, complicated day in.
- You can set reminders for your events any period of time in advance.
- It’s portable. You can have one like Google Calendar where you can sync up your computer and phone. It’s portable and easy to add to on the go.
- Great if you just want a straightforward way to stay on top of your schedule.
- There are a ton of different features. (At least on Google Calendar. That’s what I use). You can have multiple calendars and choose which ones you want to see and which ones you don’t at any given time. You can set up a family calendar, so you can all be on the same page. (Again, you can choose when you do or don’t wish to see this calendar). You can add locations, have events automatically repeat weekly, yearly, etc.
Cons:
- If cute stickers and journaling are your thing or you enjoy writing out your day, a schedule planner would be better. You could have both! You could maintain your schedule on a digital calendar and write/journal/decorate a notebook.
No matter what kind of calendar you use, it’s important to keep up with your schedule and always have it up to date. I have tried all three ways I listed above and the digital calendar has been the most beneficial for me. When something is being planned and I’m not home, I just add it to my calendar on the spot. I am trying to work on having a routine every day and I have a separate calendar for that. I hide it until I want to see it, so it doesn’t clog up my events. I can add locations and type what I need to remember to bring in the description. I color code by different areas of my life. Sports, church/youth group, work related, etc. I can set church up to repeat every Sunday forever. I don’t have to re-add it every single month.
There have been so many times where I would’ve forgotten about an event, but my calendar reminded me. I either noticed it when I checked my calendar or got a notification.
Keeping a calendar can be one way a second brain can back you up!
Leah Davis 