Why Your Brain Dumps Aren't Effective | What to Do When You Are Overwhelmed

[@scraphappyjen4561]

I am a paper and pen girl. I’ve been using a Brain Dump notebook since January and it has been life changing. I simply write out all those random to-do’s as they come to me with a check box in front and then add them to my planner where I can. The key is to review it regularly and make sure you make time to do them. It might be something as simple as “Buy new shoes for Bob (size 6)” or breaking down a bigger project like decluttering my office into manageable chunks “Declutter pen storage on desk”, “Declutter desk drawers”, “Declutter bookshelf” etc. I simply keep it as a running list and enjoy watching the pages fill up with check marks. Very satisfying. Plus it has the added benefit of reducing overwhelm by focusing on small tasks I can do that build momentum rather than having one big overwhelming task that hangs over my head and makes me feel like I can never accomplish anything.

[@GetOrganizedHQ]

So much yes!!

[@brendarogers-fiscus9265]

THIS! I am overwhelmed by ALL there is to do...so I just don't do it! Small bites are what I need to focus on.

[@charlotteechols3035]

The best one method I have seen and done is after the brain dump, cross off the things outside of your control. Then do an Eisenhower matrix. Anything that is not urgent and not important gets crossed off. The urgent but unimportant stuff, you contract out for someone else to do if you can (wash car, groom dogs, housekeeping, etc). Then schedule in the urgent and important stuff in order of priority. The non urgent but important stuff you put off till the next week.

[@robina1147]

I really love this. If you haven't already done so, can you share a screen process of putting this in a spreadsheet? I'm both a paper and digital organizer so I would love to think of how I can make my list more manageable. Perhaps also showing how you sort them and keep track as well. Thank you! 🥰

[@Maloma12]

Great video: I like the "good", "better", "best" approach--great for those who are just working their way in to this Brain Dump idea: start with "good", once mastered, move to "better", then on to "best" ... I use paper for my "Mind Sweep" (my term for Brain Dump...I like the idea of sweeping out the cobwebs of my brain to prepare room for what the Lord's got on the docket for today). ... Once I've done a Mind Sweep , I go back and make sure that each item starts with a Capitalized VERB, that way, when I transfer them to Evernote, they will sort according activity type, e.g., WATCH: video A, tv B; READ: article A, READ: Book C; CALL: Fred, CALL: Gym; as the action often determines when and where I can do the item ... I have set up Evernote with the GTD (Getting Things Done) Method of productivity (David Allen), so when I transfer the items to Evernote in the Action, Someday/Maybe, Reference, Calendar categories (see GTD). Calendar items have the date at the beginning of the item so I can sort them according to due/do date (e.g., 2022-0512: WATCH: Laura's Brain Dump video). ... Credit for these ideas goes to Laura Smith, Barbara Fuller (Simplify Days), David Allen (GTD), and a myriad of KZbin videos on Evernote and GTD (including The Secret Weapon, David Edwards), ... M

[@hollytbarker]

This is exactly what I need to do. I would love an in depth video of how to do a brain dump.

[@wakemanfitclub3236]

Just grabbed a notebook. Perfect way to spend my Saturday night. Lol gonna go dump, then categorize BUT, I think I'm also going to make a column that says DELEGATE! I am a terrible delegator but trying to get better at that. If I can't delegate it but is something I need help with then I will hire it out. I tend to take on everything and I can't possibly do all the things. I always say, I need a wife! Lol well I think I'll hire one. 😅

[@griseldaguerrero7199]

I'm a pen and paper type of girl for daily and weekly to do list, but when it comes to home cleaning routine, I use the flylady app. I many times I cross out the things that I didn't get to do today and move it for another day.

[@maryarthur5471]

I try to do a brain dump monthly. I fill out a 3x5 card for each item and put it in a small basket. When I have a few minutes or even some extended time and want to plan my next project I'll go through what's in the basket to refresh my memory as to what needs to be done.

[@kakylong2]

I am definitely a pen & paper list taker & then move it to a spreadsheet. I live my spreadsheets. 😆 I did a screenshot of your list. "Bad things will happen If I don't do this". 🤣

[@alvincash3230]

I never heard the phrase "brain dump." But I have used to-do lists all my life. I always keep an ever evolving one or two page list pinned to my refrigerator. Thanks for the tips.

[@catherinerosestevens4433]

I start with a mind dump on a legal pad and usually stop at 2 pages. I found it overwhelming to look at the list to plan the week as I didn't know the next actions on them. Then I started to write the items on sticky notes and separated them as to short term projects, long term projects and tasks like call, write, order etc. I put the sticky notes on 8x11 card stock, the first card was my vision and goals and what I wanted to focus on for the next few months. The second card was projects like items and areas to declutter, planning for a move, and the third card was calls, returning items, calling for tech help and classes I signed up for and haven't started. This helped me see that for card 3- there were emotions around these issues and that's why I have procrastinated. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do today, so I watched this video. I will let the list percolate while I will purge some papers. I think that the next step in this system for me is to write down my emotions after I write a list and see if I can process them before I act on the list.

[@pamwright6222]

I think a more in-depth video on brain dumping, and putting it in a spreadsheet or keeping track of it would be very helpful.

[@kristinmarquis9008]

I love this idea! I'm always waking myself up remembering things that need to get done in the upcoming days, or things I forgot the day before. I appreciate the different levels and am going to start with a notebook first!

[@brendarogers-fiscus9265]

I'm a tech goddess for WORK. But for personal journaling, etc., I need to have it on paper. I can so easily never open again a spreadsheet that I just don't want to look at. LOL Thanks for the tips.

[@kyfamilytofamilyhealthinfo175]

I would really love to see the system you use.

[@raesteele4536]

Thaaank you for this video ! :)

[@lindawoodfill503]

Great tips

[@accidrainn]

I need to demo & renovate my whole place it's very small & we have a music studio in here as well-i know that's going to take the longest though 😭🤣 .. But, I need help with the crap we have now to get it up of the floor and, to organize 😂 I also need to buy the things I need to use(furniture & bins etc). I really don't know where to start 🤣😭TY for the video ❤️

[@sandrafisher2280]

Maybe using this brain dump method will help me get things off my mind . Maybe I could even sleep better😀

[@martinetmoi1]

Thank you!

[@saramclaughlin2470]

Is this discussed in the book called Atomic Habits or is it discussed in the book Getting Things Done? Seems I’ve read about brain dumping in a book.

[@cristinamazzeo8895]

Where can I find that spreadsheet?

[@alfusca9824]

Such a helpful video. Thank you ❤️ Yes please for another brain dump video 💞

[@MsSimpleMovies]

Here's my anxiety-fueled method: Brain dump random thoughts on paper Use a highlighter for to do items Place items into calendar Ask God to help me with my anxiety Toss the paper.

[@kenzeelee]

awesome! I wish there was a way to 'brain dump while driving', alone. I do alot of my 'thinking' while driving and alot of times the Alexa app on my watch/Fitbit isn't synching or working properly, etc.

[@SheRozieDragon]

if you have a smartphone you can record - iPhone is called voice memo. then you could transcribe it later - I used to do this when I commuted. I also use it at dr. appts. because I often forget everything the doctor tells me.

[@barbarascheck6519]

Thanks for this video! I did a mini-brain dump last night before going to sleep, and it really helped get things out of my head so I could sleep much better. I like the idea of dumping not just things that need to be done, but also thoughts and feelings and things I'd like to do (like ideas for my next camping trip). I did a Major Brain Dump a couple of years ago - it was pages and pages long! I still don't know where I put it because I can't keep track of papers. I usually put my current To-Dos on my google calendar so the reminders pop up, but then I end up moving them around when I don't have time to get them done. I really need to be able to Categorize my tasks into areas like Today, This Week, or just add a due date when I have a deadline. So having something like a spreadsheet that I can re-organize and sort would be great! But it would be very easy for me to ignore an Excel spreadsheet. I'm interested in how you use Notion, and does it send reminders to your phone, email? If the tasks could somehow show on my google calendar also, that would really help! Printing out a weekly calendar of the tasks would be great.

[@bitrudder3792]

Levenger makes a nice quality of Cornell note paper. I designed my own printable with a third column to create a bullet journal version of this. This is pretty easy to do and you can adjust the size of The space between the lines to best accommodate your own handwriting. As you deal with the items on your list, you can get rid of the pages. If you just have one or two lonely items on the page, you can forward them if you like and get rid of the previous pages.

[@OkamiSun1]

Finally!! Something that makes sense and doesn't take years of prep and extra thinking! Thank you! Also personally for those long term things I tend to plan them in a calendar or something

[@ClandestineGirl16X]

Great video! This will definitely help me. Thank you!!!! Ps, your earrings are adorable

[@GetOrganizedHQ]

Yay! Thank you!

[@happyx2]

Yes, more in-depth brain dump information, please! ❣️👍

[@DarlingNickki777]

I love this idea! I have so much on my mind these days and love the fact that this will not only help me get it off my mind, but also put into an actionable document that I can categorize and refer to when I need it. :) Thanks!

[@GetOrganizedHQ]

You're so welcome!

[@deniserhk]

Great advice, thanks for this! I need to go see the one from last week now!

[@mrsheasterbrook]

My hybrid brain dump method. Every month I write a goals list in my planner for the coming new month. The goals pertain to every area of my life and I don't write them in categories, just everything I want to accomplish next month. Examples: give my boys haircuts, declutter and organize the kids craft closet, plan an event for my church kids ministry that I'm the director of, meal plan for the month, etc. Then anything I can plug into my agenda for the month goes on right off the bat. The other things I fit in from week to week as I find bits of time to do them. I add to the goals list, too, if I think of other things later. I prioritize the most urgent items and some I never get to. In that case I write them on the list for the next month. This works so well for me and I'm also very motivated by checking the little boxes every time I do something on my list.

[@GetOrganizedHQ]

Great plan!!

[@shawnsee1464]

I brain dump using the Eisenhower Matrix. Each month I create a new list, then put the tasks into the matrix in my bullet journal. As new tasks come up, I just add them to the appropriate quadrant.

[@GetOrganizedHQ]

Great plan!!

[@schwan44]

Trello is a great app for makingthoselists and categorizing them.

[@brendarogers-fiscus9265]

Trello is wonderful!