Conducting a Brain Dump
Getting your thoughts, ideas and to-do lists out of your head.
Ever feel like your head is a pin ball machine? Your thoughts and what you have to do are just bouncing around in your head. At times it feels overwhelming. Especially in the summer or during your busy season at work. You remember some things but forget the majority. Then something comes back to memory at the most inopportune time, only to be forgotten again.
For many the thoughts and things they need to do floating around in their head creates a sense of anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. It holds many back personally and professionally. Those thoughts creep in and create a nest. They take up residency. We allow these feelings to be a daily occurrence.
In feedback received from those I’ve worked with, one of the most beneficial recommendations I’ve made to defeat this, is to conduct a brain dump. This has been a key that unlocks what has been holding many back, including me.
A brain dump is simply the untangling of your mind. Like cleaning out your closet, but instead your mind and thoughts.
There are many exercises and details on brain dumps across the internet. I’m going to share a simple version that I do and share with others. Then I’ll cover how to organize things so you can continue to have a clearer and focused mind going forward. It’s worked wonders for me and others so I hope it does for you as well.
Part 1- Cleanse your mind and brain. Let is all flow onto the page.
Grab a notebook or notepad and get ready to write.
Find time that is quiet and to yourself. No distractions or chance at disruption.
Take a deep breath and begin writing. Write every thought that comes to your mind. Just write and write.
Once you think you’re done I want you to get up and take a walk around your house, both inside and outside. Take your notebook with and keep writing.
Get everything out, personal and work related. Your to-do lists, things you need to pickup or order. I write down the following three items on a separate post-it note as a constant reminder to push myself to get it all out.
To-Dos - Uncompleted Projects - Thoughts
Make sure you put it all down. We want to get everything out so you’re starting at zero with a fresh and clear mind. The first time you do this don’t be surprised if it takes you 45 minutes to an hour.
Part 2- Halftime! Take a break.
Take a 10-15 minute break. Go grab a snack and something to drink. Let your mind rest a bit. Think of it as your halftime.
Part 3- Constructing a plan of attack.
Now this third part is where we take and construct a plan. This can be customized to suit what works best for you. The key is to construct in such a way that you can continue to come back and delete items you complete and add items as they come to mind.
I’ve used a note-taking app called Evernote for four years. It’s been a huge help to me. I’m able to sync it across all my devices. I can add pictures to note entries. Plus there is a search function that allows you to find words or phrases among all your notes. (A few other apps that I know many of you like are Notion, One Note and Apple Notes. Find one you like best.)
Here is a screenshot of my phone on how my home page of notes looks like.
Take all the items that you listed and group them in whatever areas you want. What I label for myself will not be what you label your notes or categories. Personalize and make this easy for yourself to go in and add, edit and delete your notes.
On the first of every month I conduct a brain dump. It usually doesn’t take very long as I’m constantly updating, adding and deleting items in my Evernote app. If you’ve developed an ongoing system it won’t take long for you either. Find a note taking app you’re comfortable with. Use something to organize your ongoing to-dos and thoughts. This allows yourself to maintain a fresh, clear mind and to solely focus on whatever you’re doing. Train your mind and then you keep in control.