What is a brain dump?

A brain dump is writing down everything on your mind, without order or judgment, so your head doesn't have to hold it.

Why it works

Unfinished thoughts keep tugging for attention. Writing them down tells your brain they're captured, so it can stop rehearsing them.

How to do one

1. Set a timer for three minutes.
2. Write everything: tasks, worries, ideas, half-sentences.
3. Don't organise while you write. That's a separate step.
4. Stop when the timer ends, even mid-thought.

The part most people skip: letting go

A dump that just becomes a giant list can make things worse. Later in the day, go back through it once. Let most of it go, keep a few things for tomorrow, and turn one or two into small steps.