Sometimes (lots of times) (all the time), I have the urge to do a thing but i dont know what. Or, I feel weird, but can’t figure out why or what to do to fix it. ADHD, executive dysfunction, how I feel, and the phase of the moon can all make it really hard for me to think of a solution to the issue – or even know what the issue IS. And while meds and regular sleep certainly help, for better or for worse my brain just isn’t wired for this.
So, I decided to outsource my brain.
I couldn’t find an app that did what I wanted or was customizable enough for me to fake it. Therefore I built an analog external brain to do my thinking for me.
First, I bought a small, 100-or-so page notebook. It was about eight bucks at my Local Corporate Book Retailer.
Then, I logicked out all the possibilities I might have trouble braining, and started adding each step to the book – kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure novel.
Here’s an example path, which starts with me knowing what I want, and the analog brain telling me how to get there. I twisted my ankle a couple weeks ago and keep forgetting to do things to make it better, so here’s my solution:
[image: Do you know what you want? Yes -> 1, No -> 32. Yes is circled]
Yes, analog brain, I know what I want! Let me flip to page 1.
[Image of Page 1: What do you want to do? Exercise -> 2 is circled. Other options include Read -> 13, Watch something -> 20, Eat ->31, Be creative -> 25, Have an adventure ->26, Clean something ->28, Learn something->29.]
Still know what I want, so I flip to page 2.
[Image page 2: What kind of exercise do you want to do? PT -> 5 is circled. Other options include Weights -> 3, Cardio -> 4, Yoga -> 9, Something quick -> 10, Hiking -> 11, Adventure -> 12]
Skipping some pages now! Since this is meant to bounce me around, it doesn’t make sense to try and read it in order. (On the plus side, that makes it super easy to add new options to any part of the tree).
[Image page 5: What kind of PT? Ankle ->6 is circled. Other options include Knee->6a, Neck->7, Shoulders->8.]
(When I first numbered the pages, 6 and 6a werw stuck together, whoooops)
[Image page 6: A list of ankle PT exercises]
Eyyyyy my external brain showed me how to do my flippin’ PT so my ankle stops hurting! Yay!
But what about when I don’t know wtf is wrong or wtf I want? There’s an app analog brain for that! (Yes I’m aware its called a decision tree or process flow or what have you. Let me have this).
[Image: Do you know what you want? No->32 is circled]
No, spacebook, idfk what’s wrong, I can’t brain today.
[Image page 32: How are you feeling? In pain ->33 is circled. Other options include Overstimulated->37, Understimulated, Panicky->43.]
(As you can see, I have plans to add a page for overstimulated but have not done it yet.)
Oh yeah my ankle kinda hurts, maybe I can do something about that…
[Image of page 33: What kind of pain? Knee/ankle/neck/etc ->35 is circled. Other options include Menstrual nonsense->34, Head->38.]
[Image of page 35: Joint/old injury pain: Take advil, Ice or heat, Massage, Foam roll, Warm bath, PT exercises. Under the last option are subsets Ankle->6 (circled), Neck->6a, Knees->7.]
…Aaaand now I’m back around to my list of ankle PT exercises! And I didnt have to think at all!
Anyway – all it takes to make something like this for yourself is a notebook and some time to think the logic through. You can start by making lists (not in the notebook) of questions you have trouble braining in the moment, and what some solutions are. Then number your pages, and get started!
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