Caffeinated Conversations with Ashley Pichea {10.07.11}

Two weeks ago, I purchased a copy of Simple Mom’s new eBook, One Bite at a Time.

Deciding to work through this book one week at a time with Sam’s Noggin has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time.

I read through the entire book cover-to-cover, and I wanted to do all 52 tasks at once! Having the challenge to work through it one task at a time, one week at a time has kept me sane.

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The first week, I decided that I wanted to try out Mind-Mapping. Now I start my mornings with a blank sheet of paper and a pen – using a mind-map, I create my to-do list for the day.

This method of brain-dumping and making a to-do list has been so helpful, and I feel like I’m more productive. I tend to work on groups of tasks that are similar in nature, rather than trying to work through a linear to-do list.

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This week, I decided to work on creating a new budget.

It’s been awhile since we have had a working budget, and I’ve been feeling like we’re not as in control of our spending as I’d like us to be.

I took the time this week to sit down and determine what our average monthly income looks like, what our fixed expenses are each month, and wrote out a simple budget that will help us to have a target to shoot at with our finances.

Having this rough budget in mind helps me to better manage our family’s money, being a better steward of the resources God allows us to use for His glory.

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Are you looking for to simplify YOUR life?

Don’t know where to start?

Need accountability and encouragement?

Get a copy of One Bite at a Time and join us!

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We are linking up each Friday on Sam’s Noggin.

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Won’t YOU join us?!?

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This post is also linked up with Company Girls Coffee.

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Category: Faith

http://www.samsnoggin.com/ Sam Kelley

That is a simple budget!

http://blog.ashleypichea.com Ashley Pichea

I’ve found that making it much more detailed than that makes it too hard to stick to… we need something to AIM at, not necessarily something “set in stone.” This basically tells us how much spending money we get each paycheck, and then we have to be diligent to spend it wisely.

Stacy N

love the mind-mapping to-do list…might have to give that one a go!

http://blog.ashleypichea.com Ashley Pichea

It’s definitely been a great way to dump my brain in a way that makes sense. I love lists, but sometimes they’re just too linear for me. Mind-mapping makes sense because it works WITH my brain!

Pingback: Weekly Digest {10.08.11} | L.I.F.E by Ashley Pichea
http://www.goodairin.blogspot.com Melanie

That simple budget looks like something I could stick with. I don’t like the strict budgets either. Of course, my husband is teaching personal finance this year so maybe I will let him handle the budgeting ;) Your mind map makes me start thinking of all kinds of things I could use that with, not just list making. Projects, chores, etc (I guess those are all really lists). I’m not much of a linear girl either; it just never seems to work for me. I suspect I have a little ADD going on so lists just make me antsy!

http://blog.ashleypichea.com Ashley Pichea

One of the things I came away from reading the book was that it was about simplifying your life, not making it more complex, thus my “simple” budget! And, yes, mind-mapping works in so many different ways – writing, projects, brainstorming, to-do lists, etc.

http://joyceandnorm.wordpress.com Joyce and Norm

Looks like a great way to get through our tasks. I’ll have to check out that book. How is MYM going for your week.

http://blog.ashleypichea.com Ashley Pichea

MYM? Umm… lol. I’m SO bad at getting up! I’m trying – I really am. I’m hoping that my new diet {I’m doing six weeks of no gluten and no dairy} will help me to start feeling better, thus having more energy. I’m no where near my target time, but I’m slowly moving back in that direction.

Kathleen Jaeger

what an interesting way to make a to-do list with a brain dump!! I have usually categorized my to-do lists by grouping like tasks…I hadn’t thought of starting this way…hmmm very interesting

http://blog.ashleypichea.com Ashley Pichea

I’d used mind-mapping to brainstorm before, but I’d never really considered using it as a brain-dump method. I am sold!