Are you caring for your biggest asset?
The human brain…it’s amazing and it’s complex. It can be our best friend and our biggest critic. And it’s hungry. Energy-hungry, that is. While our brain typically represents only about 2% of our body weight, it takes 20-25% of the energy we consume every day.
This means there is science behind that spent feeling you get after mentally demanding tasks. When I recently learned this, I felt some relief. Maybe after hundreds of days managing complex work projects, home schooling, fixing WiFi and procuring groceries online, you feel exhausted too? I felt a twinge of relief to know that I was not alone and there was reason behind my depletion.
Many of us kicked into overdrive at the beginning of the pandemic, with adrenaline pushing us forward. We shifted into a new gear and tapped into our “surge capacity.” A few years ago, I remember talking to a friend (a fellow former athlete) about how grateful we were that our respective sports experiences taught us how to find that next level gear. But it’s not just a weapon to push your physical limits. I know that gear has propelled me forward in professional and personal situations that I wasn’t sure I could handle.
How long can we run on our surge capacity? Can we operate indefinitely in that next level gear? A colleague recently shared an article about how so many of us feel that our surge capacity has run out. After all, it’s been hundreds of days.
In the article, the author talks about how the brain likes to do things. We know that thinking is not something we can see. And as humans, we like to see results and we like to work with our hands. This can give us an outward work product and give us a sense of control and accomplishment. Kind of explains the increased interest in gardening, sewing, hiking, and making bread, huh?
Right now, our brains want to focus on the future and what life will be like down the road. And during this period of self-reflection, we want to concentrate on what’s really important to us.
Here’s an idea… If your brain is going to consume all that energy, why not spend it on creating a plan for your future that will allow you to live your life aligned with what's important to you?
If you’re ready to bring it all together, I encourage you to update (or build) a plan for your financial wellness. If you need a starting point, begin by making a values-based spending plan – and you can tap into your brain’s desire to get tactical and see progress.
Here are 3 steps to consider:
Review your credit card statements – many of us pay our bills using credit cards and you can get a good sense (quickly) of where your money is going by looking at each month’s statement. Pull out your September statements and take a look. Does your money flow to things that are important to you? Are there any expenses that no longer fit with your life today or the future you’re building?
Assess your credit cards – are you getting the best benefits you can from the card you use? What are the annual fees you’re paying? Many people have more than one card. Let’s say you previously used an airline card as your primary card, does that still make sense for you today? Pandemic or not, every now and again it pays to review what you have.
Harness your best Marie Kondo – ask yourself, “does this bring me joy?” as you look at each line item on your statement. Marie Kondo made this question famous with her book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and while this application of the question is not about cleaning your office or organizing your kitchen, it’s still a thought-provoking inquiry. While the answer may jump out quickly when reviewing some purchases (new snowshoes for COVID winter- yes!), other items may cause you to pause (hmmm, am I really pumped about that Amazon purchase I made after eating a bowl of ice cream?)
Investing the attention and energy of our brain toward something we know will help us in the future? Putting that craving for control that our brains are seeking to work for our biggest asset?
Sounds pretty good, don’t you think?
Your biggest asset is YOU. And you’ve got this!