Effective Brain Dump Ideas

Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted and don’t know how to tackle your mile-long To-Do list?


What is a brain dump? It is the organized process of getting all the thoughts, feelings, and tasks that are whirling around in your head, making it difficult to actually get anything accomplished, and putting them on paper.


Why do a brain dump? By committing to performing a brain dump for 15 minutes a day, you can begin the process of calming the chaos and setting yourself, and your day, up for success.

Overhead view of a stressed woman working at a desk with a laptop, phone, and notebooks.

Where to start? Follow these steps to get yourself going.


Choose your process
  • Pen and paper: A simple notebook or journal works well. For fun, choose a pretty notebook or colorful paper to elevate the experience. Also, choosing different colored pens can help with organization.
  • Digital apps: If you prefer to go the digital route, a notes app like Notion or EverNote help to easily organize, search, and schedule tasks later. Follow this link for more productivity apps here: https://squeezegrowth.com/best-brain-dump-apps/ 
  • A whiteboard: a large whiteboard on the wall or a digital product works well.
Schedule a time

To make brain dumping a consistent habit, choose a specific time of day, such as:

  • In the morning: Start your day by clearing your mind and setting priorities.
  • In the evening or right before bed: To improve sleep quality, get out all of your thoughts, to-dos, and wishlist items.
  • At the beginning of the week or month: Schedule a time each week or month to plan. This can be done with daily brain dumps to stay on top of your planning.
  • As needed: Jot down ideas as they come to you, whenever you feel scattered or overwhelmed. This is where a note-taking app on your phone comes in handy. You can put these on your paper brain dump later if you prefer the hand-written process..
Set the scene.
  • Create a calm, comfortable and peaceful environment before you get started. It will help if you can do this without being interrupted.
  • Turn off notifications on your phone and computer to minimize distractions.
  • Playing calm music, lighting a scented candle, and having your favorite drink can help with focus.  

How to brain dump? Now we’re getting down to business!

  • Keep writing until you feel relieved. Keep writing until the timer goes off. If you still have ideas and have the time to continue, keep writing. However, if you begin to feel more stressed, take a break and schedule a time to come back to your brain dump. 
  • Set a timer. If you are just beginning or feeling very overwhelmed, start with 5 or 10 minute sessions. Whether you have a lot of thoughts or are struggling to come up with some, commit to at least that set  time. 
  • Just start writing. Put down everything that is on your mind. Big and small tasks, appointments and events, worries, fears, and frustrations, ideas and creative thoughts and things to remember or follow up on.
  • Resist filtering. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar or sentence structure, you’re just trying to clear your head, not get an A on your assignment. Don’t edit or organize as you go. 

After the brain dump

  • Take a short break. Step away for a few minutes to clear your head. This provides a mental reset before you move on to the next phase.
  • Review and process. Look over what you wrote to find patterns, themes, or recurring thoughts.
  • Pull out actionable items: Highlight or underline tasks that need to be done and transfer them to a to-do list or planner.
  • Categorize and prioritize: Sort items into categories like “Work,” “Home,” and “Personal.” Use a system like the Eisenhower Matrix (urgent/important) to prioritize your actionable tasks.
  • Delegate, delete, or defer: Cross off anything that isn’t important, or put it on a “someday” list to reduce your immediate mental load.
  • Put your system to work. Transfer your newly organized tasks and notes into your trusted system. For example, add appointments to your calendar, delegate tasks to others, and add projects to your project management app.