CYBCYL Chapter 8- Becoming Focused: Prefrontal Cortex Prescriptions

In this chapter, Amen emphasizes a technique he calls “total focus” to heal prefrontal cortex problems. His prescriptions help emphasize this overarching theme. Prescription 1: The One-Page Miracle. This rule requires one to be very concrete with his or her goals and think deeply about what those goals are. Then that person would have to take a sheet of paper and write down goals under the following headings and subheadings: “Relationships” – Spouse/Lover, Children, Extended Family, and friends ; “Work” – Current work goals, future work goals, getting along with employer; “Money” – current financial goals, future financial goals; “Myself” – body, mind, spirit, and interest goals. This enables you to have something that essentially says, “These are the goals I want to have for my life.”

Amen’s second important pfc description (skipping a few) is to get organized; get help when you need it. Having organizational skills is one of the most important assets someone can have. However, it can also be very difficult to attain if you don’t immediately have it. Unless you work at it. Some tips that Amen provides for helping with organization are:

• Setting clear goals for your life (prescription 1)
• Devote some time every day for organization
• Prioritize your projects and tasks
• Create deadlines and enforce them strongly
• Keep “TO DO” lists (and possibly prioritize them as well)
• Break down overwhelming tasks into smaller ones
• Do your most unpleasant and/or hardest tasks first
• Use file folders if necessary to help with organization

Other prescriptions suggested in this chapter include but are not limited to: Playing music while you work (such as Mozart), maintain proper nutrition for optimal pfc activity, and audiovisual stimulation.

I encourage book owners to study these other techniques in addition to prescriptions 1 and 2 mentioned above. For all potential CYBCYL book owners, consider buying this book just to study the prescriptions, because I believe that those areas are where the book holds its true value. What I like about this book is that even if you do not have a problem with a particular system in your brain, it is still very helpful to study the prescriptions that Amen outlines. For instance, the title of this chapter is ‘becoming focused.” Many people without a problem in their pfc may still need more improvement in concentration and other areas. And with the prescriptions outlined in these specific chapters, they can potentially change their brains and change their lives.