How To Do A Brain Dump

It’s the end of the school year around here. Tis the season for going a million miles a minute and in all directions at once. Can you relate? All the thoughts my brain is holding are at an all-time high, I have a hard time drifting off to sleep and I have anxiety I might forget something. When this happens, I have found a simple + purposeful tool to solve brain overwhelm – doing a brain dump exercise.

What is a Brain Dump?

It’s exactly like it sounds. You literally “dump” swirling around in your brain and write it down onto a notepad (grab this one here). It’s a simple technique to declutter your mind and organize your tasks so that can clear your mind and be more productive.

Think of all the things that are keeping you up at night: bills to be paid, permission slips to send to school, chores to be accomplished, tasks to be done, and big projects you’d like to tackle. Write it all down.

It usually takes just 5-10 minutes but as soon as you get that initial list down on paper, you might already breathe a little bit lighter and your brain should feel less tangled.

You can continue to add to your brain dump (grab the notepad here) throughout the day or week. I keep mine on my desk so that as I think of tasks I can add it to the list and stay focused on what I am currently working on. As I typed this, I literally wrote a task down that popped into my brain, then I got back to work on this article.

How do you know you need to Brain Dump?

Do you feel frazzled? Paralyzed by overwhelm? Not sure what to do next because there’s so much to do? Feel like you are just spinning your wheels? These are all indicators it would be good to take a few minutes to do this task. I know it sounds counter-intuitive when you have so much to do to stop and do this but I promise you, you will move forward with a clear mind and a focused plan which means time well spent.

What do you do with the Initial Brain Dump List?

Now, that you have a list of tasks, you will want to evaluate what is most important. Is something time sensitive? Go ahead and prioritize that first. Then, you can prioritize what’s next on the list. Soon, you will have a roadmap for what you need to do and in what order. Now, you can get to work with an organized plan and a clear mind.

Pro Tip: I like to start with the hardest thing first. We tend to put those hard things off but if we do them first, it helps us feel motivated and it’s not hanging over our heads, holding us hostage anymore!

Want to listen to the tips? Check out the podcast below.

What about Big Projects on a Brain Dump?

Just last week, I wrote down “prepare for my son’s birthday” but within that project, there were a lot of little tasks. From ordering the cupcakes to grabbing the balloons, and buying and wrapping gifts, you get the idea. So, I wrote down all the tasks needed to complete that larger project.

Break down a large project into bite-size pieces so you can see progress and not be overwhelmed. Then, you can prioritize those pieces and get to work on what’s most important to do first.

How Long Should A Brain Dump Take?

Brain dumps usually take 5-10 minutes to write the initial list and then a few more minutes to prioritize. It’s time well spent considering we usually spend more time thinking about tasks than it takes to do them.

How Often Should You Do a Brain Dump?

That’s up to you, you can do them as often as you like. In busy seasons, I find myself reaching for my brain dump notepad daily. It’s a great way to start the day so I have a clear path forward and use my time wisely.

Then, at the end of the day, I finish the day by starting a brain dump to work on the next day. My brain knows it’s covered, I sleep more soundly and am able to rest knowing I will get to it tomorrow.

In slower seasons, you could have a weekly brain dump of things you would like to accomplish for the week and prioritize what Items you do on each day.

Just Remember…

Feeling frazzled? Trouble sleeping? Unpack mental clutter and untangle your mind with a simple + purposeful brain dump exercise. You’ll be motivated with a clear path forward to productivity, calm stress, free up mental energy & reduce anxiety.

Your brain will thank you, I promise!

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