Why Your Brain Dumps Aren’t Effective: What to Do When You Are Overwhelmed

Have you heard of brain dumping? You know, the process of taking all the information that’s in your head and getting it out on paper. 

Whether brain dumping is something you’ve been doing for a long time, or if it’s a totally new concept to you, you’ll want to click the video below because today I’m breaking down the good, the better, and the best way to brain dump!

THE GOOD WAY:

The good way to brain dump is the classic way that most of you probably thought of right away.  Take out a piece of paper (or open a note on your phone) and get all the swirling thoughts that are in your head out of your head and onto paper. This isn’t the time to edit yourself – give yourself permission to write down anything that comes to mind. 

This is a great way to clear your mind! And it really can help you take a step back and see from a high level view what you need to do. But, have you ever done this and then stuffed that list in the drawer and never thought about it again? Let me introduce you to the better way. 

THE BETTER WAY:

Take that list that you made, and break it into categories. Realize, there’s no right or wrong way to categorize, but just going through the process of giving this list some structure is going to help you start down the road of implementing the action items on your list. Plus, it’s also going to help it not seem overwhelming. 

A lot of my categories are things like “work”, “home”, “family”, etc. 

Once you have your list broken down by category, mark those high priority items (like paying a bill!) in each category, and pick a date that you’re going to get the high priority items done. 

I also think it’s helpful to denote which items are lesser priority. By marking lesser priority items, you’re giving yourself permission to not spend mental energy worrying about them in the short term. 

By taking these few extra steps to categorize and make an action plan out of your brain dump, you’re really setting yourself up for success. 

But there’s one more thing you can do to take it even a step further! 

THE BEST WAY:

The best way to brain dump is to have a long term system for brain dumping. 

Instead of only brain dumping when you’ve reached peak overwhelm levels, the best way is to have a master list that you can regularly refer to. 

Think of this master list like your brain on paper. You can have a notebook that you dedicate to keeping your master list, a spreadsheet, an app like notion, or a tablet planner. There are so many different ways you could set up this master list! But the key is to have just one home where you put all the tasks that come to mind. 

This master list is something you can add to at any time. Think of it like a never ending brain dump. Any time a new need or task comes up, you can add it to your list.

Now, I will caution you that this master list will be lengthy. After all – it’s your entire brain out on paper! The goal isn’t to get as many checkmarks as possible on your list. It’s simply to know that you aren’t forgetting anything so you don’t have to expend your precious mental energy trying to make sure you aren’t forgetting various tasks. 

So, which way of brain dumping will you start with today!? Here’s to lives of less stress, more peace, and successful brain dumps!