• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Artisan Life
  • Dot Marker Pages
  • Valentine’s Printables
  • Journals & Planners
  • Preschool + K Printables
    • Alphabet Tracing Worksheets
    • Fine Motor Practice Pages
    • Spanish Preschool Pages
    • CVC & Sight Words
    • Dot Marker Pages
    • Preschool Math
    • Kindergarten Math Worksheets
    • Cut & Paste Puzzles
  • Coloring
  • Gardening + DIY
    • Gardening
    • DIY Cleaning Products
    • DIY Skincare Products
    • Craft Tutorials
  • Shop

Powerful Ways to Do a Brain Dump (with free printable brain dump worksheets!)

2164 shares
  • Share

This post will tell you everything that you need to know about brain dumping AND comes with a cute printable brain dumping worksheet that you can download to use whenever you want.

You’re probably here because you have a lot on your mind and you need help with sorting it out. You might be stressed, anxious, depressed, or otherwise overwhelmed with what is going on in your life. 

Doing a brain dump can help you with all of that! But what exactly is a brain dump and how do you do one?

Make sure to keep scrolling to the bottom for your free printable brain dump worksheets!

text "How (& why) to do a brain dump (with free printable worksheets!)" On the fight is a preview of four free printable brain dump worksheets in a blue square. Two worksheets are lined and two have four boxes each for organizing for brain dump into categories.

This post includes affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on purchases made through links at no additional cost to you.

Table of Contents

  • What is a brain dump?
  • Why and how brain dumps work
  • When should you do a brain dump?
  • How to do a brain dump
  • More ways to do a brain dump
  • Brain dump tips
  • Free printable brain dump templates

What is a brain dump?

Essentially, a brain dump exercise is a way that you can get all of your thoughts and feelings out in the open so that you can start to make sense of them. If there’s something on your mind that you feel is weighing you down, you can get it out with a brain dump.

  • Worried about an upcoming promotion at work?
  • Have thoughts about your next big goal?
  • Anxious about your relationship and where it’s headed? 
  • Is your mind racing, making it impossible for you to sleep?

Get it all out so it is not all just floating around in your mind. 

A top down closeup image of a woman writing in a small notebook with a pink pen. She's using her laptop as a table and has a bowl of popcorn. Only her forearms and left knee, wearing jeans, are visible - the rest of her body is not.

Why and how brain dumps work

Writing down all of your thoughts and feelings may seem a bit silly at first. You might be thinking, “What is writing down my thoughts going to do?”.

So let’s answer that. 

A group of researchers found that “’offloading’ your worries into free-form writing frees up mental resources that you can then use to complete tasks more easily,” and that it literally changes the way that your brain works (shown by reduction of negative brain waves on an EEG). 

Fascinating right? But what does it mean in layman’s terms?

Brain dumps work because they makes your thoughts and feelings more real. When something feels more real and tangible, it allows you to find solutions and connections that you might not have seen before. So writing down your thoughts (especially your worries) can assist you in becoming more focused, less worried, and more productive.

Related: Free printable mood trackers

When should you do a brain dump?

You can do a brain dump at any time, whenever you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or just need to get something out into the universe.

However there may be times where a brain dump is especially beneficial like:

  • When you’re trying to make a big decision
  • When you have competing thoughts 
  • At night when you have a lot on your mind (so you can get to sleep!)
  • In the morning to help structure and organize your day
  • On a weekly basis to clear out last week and organize your thoughts for the week ahead

How to do a brain dump

There are generally two different ways to do a brain dump: a stream of consciousness list style or mind mapping. We’ll take a look at both styles. But, what you’ll need for either is a notebook and a writing utensil. I also light a candle and write by candlelight when I do a brain dump in the evenings to help me wind down.

Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal with Premium Thick Paper, 8.4" X...
Miliko Transparent Hardcover A5 Size Dot Grid Wirebound/Spiral Notebook-2...
Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal, 6.3" X 8.35", Hardcover, Back...
Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal with Premium Thick Paper, 8.4" X...
Miliko Transparent Hardcover A5 Size Dot Grid Wirebound/Spiral Notebook-2...
Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal, 6.3" X 8.35", Hardcover, Back...
-
-
Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal with Premium Thick Paper, 8.4" X...
Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal with Premium Thick Paper, 8.4" X...
-
Miliko Transparent Hardcover A5 Size Dot Grid Wirebound/Spiral Notebook-2...
Miliko Transparent Hardcover A5 Size Dot Grid Wirebound/Spiral Notebook-2...
Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal, 6.3" X 8.35", Hardcover, Back...
Ruled Notebook/Journal - Lined Journal, 6.3" X 8.35", Hardcover, Back...
-

Traditional List-Style Brain Dump

This traditional list style of brain dumping is super simple. All you need to do is list out everything that is on your mind. This is a stream of consciousness style of brain dumping. This means that you write whatever comes to mind. It might look something like this.

  • I really need to think about what to cook for dinner.
  • I can’t believe that my friend is breaking up with her boyfriend. 
  • Should I break up with my boyfriend? 
  • He’s really annoying sometimes. 
  • Ahhh I forgot to pay my electric bill! 
Stationary supplies on a white background. A white and purple notebook is in the middle with teal and gold notecards on top. A purple candle is above and to the left. A teal binder clip, pen, and several push pins are around the notebook.

Mind Map Brain Dump

A mind map is another way that you can do a brain dump. This type of brain dump is a bit more organized. Instead of writing down your thoughts as they come up, one after another, you categorize your thoughts as you go along based on their relationship with each other. 

I personally prefer to do a list style brain dump to “get it all out,” then organize my lists later on a separate sheet or by coloring coding. You may prefer to use categories to begin with in a spider chart of mind map. Experiment and see what works best for you!

Continuing the example from above, you could categorize a friend breaking up and thoughts about your own possible break up in “Relationships” and cooking dinner and forgetting the electric bill in “Household”.

With each thought they can branch off into smaller categories. “Relationships” becomes “friendships” and “romantic relationships”. “Household” becomes “cooking” and “paying bills”.

Map mapping can get super intricate. Think of it as a tree, with branches, twigs, and leaves all coming out at different points. This site is great to learn more about mind mapping and how to do it.

Great mind-map style brain dump categories to try are:

  • Family
  • Procrastinations (things you’ve been putting off and are weighing on your mind)
  • Incomplete goals
  • Household tasks
  • Money/finances
  • Relationships
  • Angers (things you feel angry or hurt about and haven’t fully addressed yet)
Stationary supplies on a white background. A white and purple notebook is in the middle with a pink notebook and teal notecard on top. A purple candle is above and to the right. A pair of gold earbuds is next to the notebooks.

Organizing Your Brain Dump

Once you’ve gotten all of your thoughts out, you may want to organize your brain dump in different ways. It’s your choice

Do you have to organize your brain dump? No not at all. This is about you. If just getting your thoughts out there is enough, then it is enough. 

There are two main ways to organize your brain dump. You can either re-write your thoughts in a more organized manner (if you didn’t already do a mind map) or color code them. Of course, you can also organize your lists and color code them, too. Experiment to see what you prefer.

Organizing your brain dump with lists

Rewriting your brain dump into organized lists can help you see what areas of your life need your attention most. It can also help you formulate a plan to address anything you need to take care of.

Your free printable brain dump worksheet includes an organization page in color and ink-saving black and white with the following categories:

  • To-dos . You can further organize this into “right now”, “soon”, or later.” Make sure to grab these free printable to do checklists to help you out!
  • Things to plan – These tend to be bigger tasks that you’ll want to break down into smaller chunks and goals before tackling them.
  • Things to delegate – These are things you can ask someone else to do. Maybe you can ask a partner to come up with dinner ideas or take out the trash, for example
  • Things to eliminate – Is there anything on your brain dump that you’re ready to release?

Using color coding to organize brain dumps

If you’re a visual person, color coding may be helpful for you in organizing your brain dumps after you’ve completed them. It is totally up to you to decide your color-coding system but here are some suggestions:

  • Green = Money 
  • Red = Romantic relationships
  • Yellow = Professional or educational 
  • Gold = Goal setting
  • Purple = Creative ideas

Some of these suggestions are based on color psychology. Color psychology in a nutshell says that colors can assist in conveying meaning and are a form of non-verbal communication You can read more about it here. 

You can use your favorite markers, pens, highlighters, and even stickers for color coding. The Staedtler fineliner pens are some of my absolute favorite both for journaling and color coding brain dumps. They have fine lines, lots of color options, and don’t usually feather or bleed.

STAEDTLER triplus fineliner, 0.3mm metal-clad tip, ergonomic triangular...
STAEDTLER triplus fineliner, 0.3mm metal-clad tip, ergonomic triangular...
  • The perfect pen set for technical or fine art drawing, these fineliner pens create clean, precise lines and outlines
  • Got a journal? These needle point markers are wonderful journal pens. Or take clean, color-coded notes
  • Dry-safe ink means even if the cap's been left off for days, it remains usable. You can just pick it up and carry on
Check current price

Can I Do a Digital Brain Dump?

Sure! If you’re not a pen and paper person, don’t force yourself to become one. You can definitely take your brain dump online using your favorite word processor (like Google Docs or Microsoft Word) or note taking apps like Notes or Evernote.

However, I am a big fan of actually putting pen to paper for all types of journaling and brain dumping. It involves more of your brain and engages your senses. Even if you think you aren’t a paper person, I encourage you to give it a try on paper. (It doesn’t matter if your handwriting is poor – mine is terrible!)

A woman in a rainbow unicorn short working on a laptop with the words "Slay the day" on the back. A cup of coffee is visible by her feet. Her face is not visible.

More ways to do a brain dump

Not into the stream of consciousness type of brain dump? That’s totally fine.

You can write about specific things or situations and keep writing about them until you’ve written down everything that you can.

Here are some specific things you may want to brain dump about if you don’t have any idea of what to write about:

  • Your ideal vacation
  • Your grocery list
  • A bucket list
  • Chores that need to be done
  • Thoughts about your relationships (friends, family, partner, kids, coworkers, etc.)

Brain dump tips

So now that you understand what a brain dump is, when to do it, and how to do it, you may still have some questions on tips or techniques that might help make brain dumping easier for you. Here are some tips for brain dumping:

Set a routine

If you’re often feeling overwhelmed or stressed, setting a routine to do a brain dump can help.

Set a reminder on your phone or note in your planner to do a brain dump at least once a week.

I personally find doing a brain dump by candle light before bed helps me get to sleep. My doctor suggested using only candle light for an hour before bedtime to help treat my insomnia and journaling and brain dumping to help my anxiety. I was skeptical at first, but this routine has really helped calm my racing mind.

If you already have a journaling routine or other routine (like at night or in the morning), you can slip brain dumping right in there as part of your self-care routine.

Set a time limit for your brain dump

I could honestly go on forever when I’m in a brain dumping session or when I’m journaling. If that sounds like you, you may want to set a time limit so that you don’t get lost in your thoughts. Try for about 10 minutes and see if that feels like enough. If it doesn’t give yourself another 10 minutes. 

Keep your brain dump separate from your journaling

Because a brain dump can involve a lot of stream of consciousness writing, you may want to keep it separate from your “other” journaling.

I keep a separate brain dump journal so it doesn’t clog up my gratitude journal, for example. I love using a lined journal with a spiral binding for my brain dump so it’s easy to fold open flat without worrying about covers flopping around while I’m writing.

I’m currently loving these spiral notebooks (I also have the grid dot version). The paper is surprisingly thick and nice, and the covers are durable, too.

Miliko Transparent Hardcover A5 Ruled Wirebound/Spiral Notebook/Journal...
Miliko Transparent Hardcover A5 Ruled Wirebound/Spiral Notebook/Journal...
  • Measurement: 8.27" x 5.67", A5 Size
  • 2 notebooks value pack makes it a ideal gift for everyone.
  • Transparent Hardcover well protects the notebook. 80g high-quality acid-free ivory white paper makes writing an enjoyable thing.
Check current price

Walk away from your brain dump list

Sometimes writing down all of your thoughts can feel like a lot all at once and organizing them can seem insurmountable. So instead of feeling like you have to do it all at once, know that you can walk away from it and come back later. It will still be there. 

Use sticky notes to organize your brain dump

I’m an avid sticky note user. You can say that I’m kind of obsessed with them. The great thing about using sticky notes is that you can move them around.

If you’re like me, you probably have lots of the same thoughts or things that you want to get out of your brain. Instead of having to reorganize or write them over again, move the sticky note. 

If you don’t have sticky notes, you can cut colorful squares of paper and use push pins or magnetic push pins to organize them on a cork board or your fridge. Don’t forget to write yourself an inspirational note, too. =)

Teal, purple, and pink stationary supplies with a pair of heart lens pink sunglasses. In the middle is a pink notecard with the message "you are better than unicorns and sparkles combined"

Free printable brain dump templates

I’m so excited to share these free printable brain dump worksheets with you!

As usual for free printables here on The Artisan Life, I got very into making them and ended up creating four pages instead of just one.

There is a lined brain dump worksheet so you don’t have to buy a new journal (if you don’t want to) and a page to organize your thoughts on with categories for “do, plan, delegate, eliminate.” (This page is a modified version of an Eisenhower Matrix.)

Both pages have an ink-saving version and a pretty, colorful version. They are sized to print on 8.5×11 notebook paper, but can be scaled down to fit your planner of choice. I use the Happy Planner system. To make letter pages fit your Happy Planner Classic, print at 84%, trim away the excess, then punch holes with your Happy Planner hole punch.

A square image with a preview of four printable brain dump planner pages. Front and center is a lined page with light purple and pink rows titled "brain dump." To the back and left is a black and white lined brain dump worksheet. On the right is a black and white brain dump organization page with lists to 'do, plan, delegate, eliminate.' In the center back is the same organization page with colorful boxes in blue and purple.

These brain dump planner pages are free – just use the box below to let me know where to email the PDF and they will zip their way across the internet and into your inbox:

So what is brain dumping? It is simply putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and letting out all of the thoughts that are on your mind. It’s a way for you to calm your anxiety, ease your mind, and relieve stress.

Do you feel lighter already? I know I do.

I hope you enjoyed this post and remember to grab your brain dumping printable worksheet. 

Planner & Journal Printables

Looking for more planner and journal printables? Check out these freebies on The Artisan Life!

January Planner Printables

Start your new year off on the right track with these printabel January planner inserts in US letter and Happy Planner Classic sizes.

December Planner Page Printables

These printable December planner pages are available in US letter and Happy Planner Classic sizes with a vertical weekly spread, monthly two page spread, and more.

November Journal Prompts

Discover November journal writing prompts and download your free printable journal for November!

Free November Planner Inserts

These November planner inserts are available in US Letter and Happy Planner Classic size. Rejuvinate your planner today without a trip to the store or waiting for the mail to arrive!

Free Printable Nature Planner for 2021

Get ready for a better year in 2021 with this free printable nature-themed calendar and planner!

Free Printable Floral Weekly Planner Inserts

These lovely purple and blue floral planner inserts come in three popular sizes. Stop by to grab your free printbale monthly, weekly, and goal planner printables today.

Watercolor Halloween Printable Planner Pages for October

These beautiful watercolor Halloween illustrations are just the right balance of spooky and sweet. Stop by to get your free printable October pages for Happy Planner Classic and US letter sizes!

11 Free Habit Tracker Printables

Finally form the habits you want and make them stick with these free printable habit trackers.

Free Mood Tracker Printables

Grab 13+ free mood tracker printables so you can have an awesome bullet journal, even if you stink at drawing. Pick from popular themes like mermaid, outer space, and coffee - all free with no signup required.

9+ Free To Do List Printables

Stay organized with these cute (and free!) to do list printables.

9+ Printable Bill Payment Checklists and Bill Trackers

Take control of your finances (and stop living paycheck to paycheck) with these free printable bill trackers.

Must-Have Free Printable Homeschool Planner

Are you going crazy trying to keep up with your kids Zoom rooms and app passwords? You need this free printable homeschool & distance learning planner!

2164 shares
  • Share

Buy me a coffee

Filed Under: Printable, Printable journals & planners

Previous Post: « Free Printable Thanksgiving Matching Game (keep your kids busy while you cook!)
Next Post: Free Printable Nature Planner for 2021 »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

natashalh - the artisan life

Hi, I’m Natasha! I’m so glad you’re here.

I’m a former classroom teacher with a Masters of the Arts in Teaching turned homeschooler & gardener. I share educational & planner printables and tips for making gardening with kids successful and affordable.

I also publish printed coloring & activity books. You can also find me on YouTube.

Let's be friends!

Search The Artisan Life

The Artisan Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

The Artisan Life also uses affiliate links for other sites. For a full look at my policy, please visit its page here.

Buy me a coffee

Footer

Privacy Policy | Disclosure & Disclaimer | Terms and Conditions | Contact
COPYRIGHT © 2012 – 2023 The Artisan Life · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly here: natashalh(at)stalkingthewildsnark(dot)com. I do not accept guest posts and will not respond to unsolicited requests for guest posts or links. Stock images by Depositphotos

Copyright © 2023 The Artisan Life on the Foodie Pro Theme