How to do a brain dump in 5 steps
A brain dump means writing down everything on your mind without judging it. The trick is not to write well and to set an end point. Limit yourself to one title, six lines and one minute, and starting becomes easy and finishing becomes certain.
The 5-step brain dump
A sheet of paper or one notes app is enough. Set a 1-minute timer and follow these steps.
- Write the thing taking up the most space in your head as a title (for example: Should I change jobs?).
- Write whatever comes up, one line at a time, up to six lines. Fragments are fine.
- Stop when the minute is up. If you want more, start a new sheet.
- Pick the one line that bothers you most.
- Use that line as the next sheet's title and write for another minute. Three or four sheets usually reveal a next step.
Why brain dumps fail and how to fix it
Most brain dumps fail because they have no end. An hour-long journal entry makes you dread the next one. Limiting lines and time lets you write several times a day, and frequent short sheets clear your head faster.
The other common mistake is never rereading. Looking again after a week or a month shows which worries resolved themselves and which are still there.
Doing a brain dump with Thinksheet
Thinksheet is an Android app built around this method. Tap write and a 60-second ring starts; a title and six lines make a sheet. Tap any line to make it the title of a new linked sheet, and Thinksheet brings sheets back after 7, 30 and 90 days. No account, stored only on your phone, exportable as .md files.
Do a one-minute brain dump now
Get Thinksheet on Google Play