Do you ever have those times where it seems like so much is going on that you can’t keep straight what you’re doing? Where you’re just jumping from one thing to the next without finishing the first thing? Your brain just gets too full to remember everything you’ve got going on? It’s been that way at work and at home lately. I’ve even resorted to writing notes on the back of my hand at work. That’s a clue that my mind is getting full. Time for a “brain dump”.
Brain dumps are not a new concept. I’m not sure when or where I first heard the term, but I’ve been doing them for a long time. You just get so much stuff rattling around in there that you can’t keep it straight- things to do, paperwork that needs filled out, school videos that you need to watch, items to add to the grocery list… So I just take a few moments to sit down and just write down each thing as it comes to mind. Once it’s on paper it’s like my brain doesn’t have to worry about remembering it any more. The overwhelming feeling is gone.
Set aside a specific time when you’ll have a few minutes of no interruptions. Use a good clean piece of paper. I keep blank sheets in my planner and label them as Brain Dump. You’ll still need to do something with your list so you want to make sure to keep it somewhere to refer back to. Organization doesn’t matter at this point. All you’re doing is writing down things as they come to mind, just list them out. Write everything-even if it’s something that’s not necessarily a “to do” type item. Once it’s on paper it’s out of your brain. You’ll end up jotting down thoughts that you didn’t even realize where in there because they’ve gotten pushed back so far you’ve already forgotten about. My brain only has so much capacity to remember things so I feel like as it gets full, it pushes older things back into some dark cloud. I’ve noticed that once I start writing down a couple of things, it’s like the flood gates open and then I’m writing like crazy to get things down as quickly as they pop up. Then it’ll slow down again as that dark cloud opens up and I start to remember things that have been pushed back.
Once I have everything dumped out onto paper, I step back. Give it a good while for my brain to relax. I may even wait until the next day to look back at my dump. There will usually be one or two things that I’ve thought of in the meantime so I’ll jot those down too. Then I organize my list. (I love lists by the way!) There’s not really a set way that to organize your dump each time because it’ll vary A LOT on what you’ve written down. Personally, I’ll separate everything out in groups- errands to run, things I can do in the evening when it’s dark outside, outside chores, bigger projects that need more planning, emails/phone calls, etc. I’ll make it more of a To Do List, but I find it easier to get things done if I’ve grouped them.
Organized brain dump, pg 1 
Organized brain dump, pg 2
Other Random Thoughts from the Week
- I texted Ed on my way home from work on Thursday that I was looking forward to a cold beer and hanging out with him outside for a bit. Not because it was a rough day or anything, simply because there was plenty of sunshine and I felt like we hadn’t just hung out with each other in awhile (his schedule is all wonky this month). There was a cold Corona waiting as I walked in the door, dinner was almost done. We talked about our days and I got a lesson in tractor driving (which was much easier now that we have new tires on it and he redid the clutch LOL).
- Sunshine always does a body good. Sitting on the edge of a raised garden bed, I can see almost all of our little country domain as it greens up for spring. Living out here makes my heart happy!
- I love bonfires. Whether it’s around a campfire with friends or just burning some feed bags and old chunks of wood at home. I get mesmerized by the flames and they always makes for a good conversation.
- I finished reading #GirlBoss by Sophia Amoruso this week. Her humor and different way of approaching the start of a multi-million dollar business are inspiring. If you’re looking for some inspiration you should check it out. Don’t be turned off by the fact that she’s in the fashion industry-that’s DEFINITELY not my thing either-this book is about so much more than that.
- Kahlua and french vanilla creamer make a decent substitute for Bailey’s in a good Saturday morning coffee.
I need to get off the couch and get started on my brain dump to do list. Catch ya’ll next post!