The Beauty of a Brain Dump

If you’re anything like me and juggle multiple roles each day, your brain is probably buzzing with a million things at once. Work projects, creative ideas, family events, appointments, deadlines, it’s a lot. And sometimes, it gets overwhelming.

There are days when I just want to retreat to my room and curl up with a good book. But while that gives me a moment of peace, it doesn’t actually solve the problem. At any given moment, I might be thinking about a big deadline at work, fresh ideas for Words to Live By, my kid’s upcoming birthday, an anniversary, a graduation, my husband’s birthday, or a family celebration. And that’s not even counting doctor’s appointments, shopping runs, and making sure the dog gets to the groomer.

When it all starts swirling in my head, it creates this mental chaos that’s hard to untangle. The one thing that always brings me back to calm?

A brain dump.

This simple exercise never fails to bring relief. Sometimes a small checklist is enough, but when everything feels like it’s up in the air and I don’t even know where to start, I come back to this one powerful technique.

And the best part? It’s easy to do. You don’t need to do it daily, sometimes once a month or once a quarter is enough to reset your mind and your focus.

Here’s exactly how I do it:

Step 1: Gather what you need.

You can use a pen and notebook, the Notes app on your phone, or a digital tool (like the free template I created).

Pick whatever works for you.

Step 2: Set a timer.

If your mind tends to wander, set a timer for 15 minutes. It’s a little productivity trick I love, it makes the task feel doable and helps you stay focused. You probably won’t even need the full 15 minutes.

Step 3: Dump everything out.

No filtering. No organizing. Just write.

Need to book a doctor’s appointment? Jot it down. Need to plan a birthday party? Add it. Break down a big work project? Add that too. Dog needs grooming? Write it. Don’t overthink, just get it all out of your head and onto the page.

If the timer goes off and you’re still going, add five more minutes. But chances are, you’ll already feel a weight lifted.

Step 4: Take a breather.

This might seem counterintuitive when you’ve just written a long to-do list, but pause. Give your brain a moment to rest. Go stretch, grab a drink, or take a walk. When you return to your list with fresh eyes, you’ll often remember a few more things, and you’ll be more ready to tackle it all.

Step 5: Organize your brain dump.

Now that it’s all out of your head, start to organize it. Group items into categories that make sense to you:

• Family

• Work

• Personal

• Side hustle

• Errands

Once you’ve grouped everything, refine your lists even further.

Step 6: Prioritize.

Label your tasks in a way that helps you take action. Here are some ideas:

• By urgency: Today/Tomorrow/Later

• By importance: A/B/C

• By ownership: Do now/Delegate/Drop

You could also try the Eisenhower Matrix to help you decide what’s urgent and important (I included a template for that in the brain dump bundle too!).

Final Thoughts

This exercise rarely takes more than an hour, but the clarity and peace it gives me lasts for days. So the next time your brain feels like it’s carrying too much, don’t push through the chaos, dump it out.

Give yourself the gift of mental clarity. You deserve it.