Brain Dumping: A Simple Strategy to Conquer Overwhelm

The top right of my monitor reads Monday 9:30 AM and I already feel like giving up. There are project deadlines looming, the kids have a “crazy hair day” at school tomorrow I forgot about, I haven’t posted on social media in days, I have no idea what’s for dinner, and the emails are piling up in my inbox. How on earth am I going to get this all done, and where do I even start?

I call this a “tornado brain” moment – when my thoughts are moving so quickly that I can’t pin them down and it all feels a bit overwhelming.

This used to be a normal occurrence for me, especially at the beginning of the week when the list of things needing to be done in my business and personal life was long. After chatting with other business owners and creative minds, I realized I wasn’t alone and this was actually a common issue. I was sure there was a better way to handle all of this, so I went on the hunt and discovered a handy little practice called “brain dumping”.

Brain dumping is a technique where you transfer every thought, task, idea, and worry from your mind onto paper (or a digital document). Think of it like emptying your mental backpack – you take everything out, spread it on the table, and finally see what you've been carrying around.

Unlike traditional to-do lists or structured note-taking, brain dumping is completely unfiltered and unorganized in the beginning. You write everything down exactly as it comes to you, without worrying about order, importance, or even coherence. The goal is simply to get it all out of your head and onto the page.

The simple act of writing these thoughts out can be enough to help you feel more focused, less anxious, and reduce stress. If you want to take this practice to the next level, organizing and scheduling your brain dump can be very impactful. While organizing and scheduling your brain dump isn't necessary, creating an action plan from relevant thoughts will maximize its impact on your daily life.

In practical terms, this is what I do…

• Find a quiet space and a clear pocket of time where I won’t be interrupted.

• Grab my supplies. Some people prefer to type this out, I like to write it out on paper. I gather paper, pens, and highlighters as well as the calendar I use to plan my life.

• I set a timer for 15 minutes (up to 30 minutes if there is a lot on my mind).

• Start writing. Every thought, every worry, every task, every single thing that comes to my mind in those 15 minutes. I don’t stop before my 15 minutes is up, and I don’t judge the thoughts that come up. I set aside this time to spill my thoughts out onto the page however they come.

• From here, I highlight the tasks and put them into three groups: things I will act on today, things I will act on at a later date, and things I have no control over and will release.

The last thing I do, and probably one of the most important things, is to assign all of the actionable tasks to a date. This is optional, but I find putting things on the calendar or setting a reminder for a specific date and time (e.g. Hey Siri, in three months remind me to book a dental checkup.) is what allows the thought to stop swirling around in my mind. Knowing that the task is recorded somewhere that I frequently reference or the reminder is set allows me to let it go and move forward with a clearer mind.

This practice has been a game changer for me. I often start my week with a brain dump and then spend a bit of time plotting the actionable tasks that come up onto my calendar for the week (or weeks to come). Knowing that everything that is important has a specific block of time in my calendar is a huge relief and means I can focus on the task at hand without worrying I’m forgetting something more urgent and/or important.

Regularly scheduling brain dumps into your life can be a great way to make sure you a) aren’t forgetting any tasks that should be prioritized and b) aren’t constantly dealing with a “tornado brain” situation.

For some, this practice might be most beneficial at the end of the day to help clear their minds before heading to bed.

Maybe for you this is a practice you want to do at the end of each week to reflect on what you’ve done, how you’ve felt, and what you want to take with you into the next week.

Take this practice and make it your own, adjusting it to fit your life and your needs.

I'd love to hear how brain dumping works for you! Comment on this blog post sharing your experience, or tag me in your brain dump practice on Instagram @sweetsimplecollabs. Remember, there's no "right way" to do this – the best method is the one that brings you peace of mind.

Here's to clearer minds and calmer days ahead!

- Jess

Ps. If you’re the type who likes to write on paper vs. typing it out, I have a free downloadable template on my website at www.sweetsimplecollabs.com/resources.