How to do a Brain Dump

Have you ever felt like your brain is going 1,000 miles an hour and you just can’t keep up? Do you start doing one thing only to frantically remember that you forgot to do a different time sensitive task and jump from one thing to the next without completing each task? You may want to try doing a brain dump

What is a brain dump?

A brain dump is a way to clear your mind of all of the ideas that are floating around in there. It helps you release the worry that you’ll forget them, by giving you a place to write the ideas down or record them. It also helps you to remember things as you think through each category.

A simple way to do a brain dump

I’m sure there are many ways to do a brain dump, but a very simple way to do it is to take a sheet of paper, a notebook, an app in your phone, whatever you like, and create a space for each main category of your life where you manage things.

Example categories

For example, your categories might be:

• Homeschool
• Kids
• House
• Health
• Bills/Finances
• Projects
• Sewing
• Yard
• Auto
• Holiday Prep
• Birthdays

The categories vary a lot by person, depending on what’s important to you in your life to manage. You basically will know by which things are popping in your head that you need to do as you make your list.

Make space for each category on paper

Each category can be written and underlined leaving space below to write tasks that need to be done in that category.

Write down all of your tasks/ideas for each category

Once you have your categories with space below, take time to write down every task that’s been floating in your head that you need to make sure you get done soon. You can prioritize them after you have the list made, so for now, just jot things down in the correct categories.

If you come across things that don’t fit a category, you can create a miscellaneous category or create a new category for it. Basically, do this until you feel like you’ve gotten it all out and on the paper.

Prioritize

Once your paper has been filled with the categories and the main task that need to be done in each category, it’s time to prioritize. Which things are the most urgent? Which things can wait? You can color code with colored pens or highlighters if you like.

It’s nice to do this brain dump at night, so that you can create a to do list for the following day.

Make your To Do List

Choose the most important tasks for yourself to complete the following day from your brain dump. This becomes your simple to do list. It’s best to only pick one to three things.

Stick to 1-3 things

If you try to out too many things in your to do list for the following day, you may feel overwhelmed and end up completing none of them. If you get the three done and are able to do more, just come back to the brain dump and pick more. Keep your to do list manageable by not biting off more than you can chew.

Brain dump each night for the next day’s to do list

The next night, you can do a fresh brain dump, or just add to the same one and make it sort of a running brain dump record. You can remove and add things as needed.

Getting the floating ideas out of your head and on the paper helps you to focus on the task at hand without the nagging thoughts about the tasks that are not getting done this moment. It also gives you a place to look for what to do next when you complete tasks.

You can also brain dump your ideas into your phone. I’ve used the Google Keep app for this before. You could just use your notepad in your phone too.

If you’d like some guidance on your daily schedules and routines, check out this post about helping yourself make a stay at home mom schedule.

Using the brain dump method is a great way to help yourself track all of the many things you have to keep up with as a busy mom. It helps me to clear my brain. I hope it helps you too!

Free Brain Dump Printable

You can fill in the sections of this free brain dump printable with main categories that you need to brain dump about. Fill free to print multiple copies for more brain dumping space! Clear your mind and then get to work accomplishing what you need to get done!

Get my Brain Dump Journal to keep them all in one place

I made this Brain Dump Journal so all of the brain dumps could be contained in one easy to carry journal. It’s a 6×9 matte, paperback book with the form you see above with the 6 boxes for 120 pages. This simple design allows you to use it however you need to so that you can get your thoughts organized.

Want to do Brain Dumps with a bit more guidance?

Check out the other brain dump journal I designed just for stay at home moms. My Stay at Home Mom Journal is custom made for stay at home moms who have so much to manage for the whole family. This journal has example brain dumps across various areas of life to keep your thoughts organized and help you get things done.

Try it!

Whether you write it out yourself, use the free printable, or use the journal, just start brain dumping and see how effective it is.