Greetings all!
Do you
ever feel like that? I recently came across this magnet in a store and thought
how appropriate it is for our times – too much to do, too much information! So
how can we close these brain tabs?
I recently tried a “brain dump” technique – and I LOVE it! It helps declutter your thoughts and quiet your mind. You can do it daily in the morning or at night, or once a week.
Even though the name “brain dump” is strange, it actually is a perfect description – you dump everything out of your brain onto paper. Based on the studies I have read – and my personal preference! - pen and paper might work better than the electronic devices but whatever method you choose, I urge you to give it a try.
It is similar to a to-do list but the main difference for me is that first I free write anything and everything on my mind. Basically I just dump it all on paper – and organize later. Someone compared it to a temporary shelf for your thoughts and I like this analogy.
Sometimes, the anxiety that we have about a certain task is because we are afraid of forgetting to do it but once it is written out, you no longer have to spend the mental energy and space on it – it is right there in front of you! Granted, we might procrastinate because we really do not want to deal with something but the thought is still there and nagging us – in our conscious or unconscious mind – so write it down and it might help you address it sooner!
Brain dump can be thoughts, questions, emotions, to-do tasks, random stuff – again, anything and everything that is currently occupying precious space in your mind can be dumped onto paper. You do not need to have a fancy notebook or a journal or a special pen – although I have been curious about bullet-journaling so this is a non-urgent task on my brain dump page - “research bullet-journaling!”
I like doing big brain dump weekly – that gives me an overall view of the near future – and then update it as things come up. I use a regular sheet of printer paper – one for personal life and one for work. Then, especially for work projects, I organize each entry in sections on another piece of paper or in a notebook.
What I like about this approach is that I see everything at a glance – it does not have to be pretty or neat or orderly, it doesn’t even have to be in complete sentences - it just have to be out there on a piece of paper.
If I am thinking of a big task, I might just write out “plan vacation” on my main brain dump page and then have another page with more detailed tasks (e.g., flights, hotels, attractions, etc.).
Also, brain dump helps me separate things that are more urgent or important from tasks that can be accomplished later. And of course, regardless of how we keep ourselves organized, it is extremely satisfying to cross things off the list!
Sources:
- https://diaryofajournalplanner.com/brain-dump/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/i-tried-brain-dump-technique-to-reduce-distractions-build-focus-2022-1?amp
- https://www.businessinsider.com/night-routine-steps-to-be-more-productive-in-the-morning-2020-2#brain-dump-2
What did you think? Drop me a line!
Interesting! I have lots of tabs open, literally as well as in my brain 😉 traffic lanes are sometimes congested in my mind… but I generally jot down the ideas that come in and I organize them later, if they’re still important enough to do so. Nonetheless, I am trying my very best to reduce the number of open tabs because it would feel lighter, internally.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great technique. Reduces cognitive load. Makes aure and crops off any completed taask a final cognitive clean-up of the cache
ReplyDeleteseems like a good technique to declutter and clarify the thoughts
ReplyDelete