Brain Dumping is big in the journaling world! Big!! We live in a crazy, fast-paced world, that moves at the speed of light! As a society, we rarely slow down. We go until we are overloaded and then we collapse! Brain dumping is a good way to slow down and get focused on priorities. Once you are focused on priorities you will get tasks completed!
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What is Brain Dumping?
Brain Dumping is a way of letting go of thoughts that crowd your mind. Brain-dumping involves clearing all of the thoughts, worries, lingering questions, and to-dos in your head out into your journal or on paper, often with the goal of decluttering the mind or helping manage stress or anxiety. The idea is to take the time to put those thoughts on paper and free your mind of chaos. It's not about what you need to do as much as it's about clearing your mind of ideas, and thoughts that prevent you from doing what you need to do.
How to Brain Dump
There is no set of rules. The purpose of it is to rid your mind of clutter and if there were rules that would only add to the clutter! Some people use notebooks or legal pads, and some use bullet journals, if you want to use a bullet journal, I have a couple of recommendations here. I like the bullet journal for a few reasons:
- A bullet journal keeps all the brain dump in one place. It's neat and orderly, and you always know where it is.
- In a bullet journal, you can make your own space for brain dumping.
- The final reason I like the bullet journal is it keeps from having a ton of notebooks, or legal pads lying around.
Bullet Journals are a perfect place to brain dump. You can create a monthly spread, a weekly spread, or a daily spread and use the space for brain dumping but it doesn't have to stop there. You can take those thoughts and convert them to a to-do list if you want and then check off the items you complete.
Why Brain Dumping Works
Brain dumping works because you are clearing your mind of all the things that distract you. Putting those things on paper allows your brain to concentrate on other things. Getting all of those tasks out of your head will reduce stress and help you concentrate on completing your to-do lists! Take the time to brain dump before bed and free your mind for a great night's sleep!
Bullet Journaling Spread Ideas
Take some time and explore Pinterest and Instagram for ideas for brain-dumping spreads. Don't lose time on Pinterest and Instagram. Set a timer when you're on Instagram or Pinterest and when the timer goes off, STOP! Remember the purpose of a brain dump is to declutter your mind!