Sometimes it feels like all we do is scurry around from one task to another, always busy but never getting anywhere.
The best way out of the rat-race feeling is to pause and regroup with a brain dump.
A brain dump is the next best step for you to take if you’re feeling like:
- You have so much to do but it feels impossible to get started.
- You know there’s a lot to do but you aren’t sure what exactly it all is.
- You have a vague sense that you’re missing something that’s going to blow up in your face.
- You are easily distracted and feel scattered.
A brain dump is simply writing everything down. Whatever pops into your head while you have a pen in your hand and paper in front of you, write it down, right away.
By writing down your thoughts, you’ll find that you clear your mind by making your thoughts more concrete because you’ve but them into words.
You’ll allow y ourself to think about the issues that come up rather than simply rehash the details.
Writing will help you make connections and think creatively, problem-solving and analyzing rather than feeling overwhelmed by it all.
“I have found brain dumps are great for clarifying my thoughts and overcoming my feelings of overwhelm. Thank you for teaching me how to do a brain dump.
“I am always surprised at how such a simple thing as write down what is in my mind is so powerful in calming my feelings of business and overwhelm.”
– Rachael Younger, Simply Convivial member
Hacks for Busy Moms to Stop Stress & Regain Sanity
My quick hack for busy moms will save your sanity when you have so much to juggle. When you’re looking for hacks, you usually want a secret you’re missing – and I have that for you today.
Too often busy moms are go go go and get confused and overwhelmed about what’s next. We risk missing life because we were so busy juggling details.
My quick and unexpected hack today – a brain dump – is the key process to stopping the cycle and getting clear about what needs to happen next and what is truly important.
Your situation is probably not as bad as your imagination is spinning it; brain dump and see reality instead of drama.
A brain dump is not just one more thing to do, one more thing that will keep you busy.
However, it will help you recognize what you’re actually dealing with. Our thoughts are far more ambiguous and vague than we realize.
When we put them into words and see those words on paper, the issues become concrete and we can begin working on them.
“When you feel overwhelmed, first do a brain dump. Then cross off everything that you don’t actually have to do. Then organize and prioritize the remaining tasks (well, first determine whether they are just tasks or in fact projects). Break the projects down into tasks, and assign no more than 1-3 tasks per day! On a sticky note!
– Ellen Marceau, Simply Convivial member
How To Be More Productive When You’re Feeling Unmotivated
When you’re feeling unmotivated, it’s hard to get things done. We want to be more productive, but when we’re feeling that lack of motivation we drag and dawdle.
A brain dump is the golden key to overcoming a lack of motivation and kicking your productivity motor into gear.
You might wonder how to be more productive when you’re feeling unmotivated, and the answer often comes down to acting in the way you want to feel.
Whether you’re working from home or working at home or both, you want to feel motivated and productive, but it’s easy to feel stuck instead.
This video will walk you through a quick brain dump exercise that will show you how to harness the power of your mind to think through what’s really happening in your life:
“Brain dumps have become my go-to habit whenever I am tempted to feel overwhelmed (which I’m learning is a temptation as well as an opportunity for growth in faith). It’s so helpful to write things out by hand and see the big picture so I can take it to the Lord in prayer and decide what is most important to work on first.”
– Kristin Ching, Simply Convivial member
Unclutter your mind so you can think creatively
We all know the feeling. You can’t focus, you can’t think straight. You can’t get a handle on life.
The truth is that your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. Clear the clutter to free up your creative energy.
The following three-step brain dump will help you get back on track and reclaim your sanity:
- Spend 10-15 minutes everyday writing down the thoughts that make you anxious.
- Take 10-15 minutes to write down the thoughts that repeat themselves constantly in your head.
- Use 10-15 minutes to write out the nagging questions and tasks that plague you.
When your mind is uncluttered, you come up with out of the box solutions you’d never have been able to think about when your mind was full of junk.
Solution in 3 parts
“When I am in a tailspin of thoughts about unrelated issues, I know I need to brain dump. It helped me to consolidate and think more clearly.
– Samantha Quant, Simply Convivial member
Dump all those swirling thoughts out of your head.
Yes, simply writing it all down will help to
- Reduce stress by getting your thoughts onto paper
- Reduce frustration by assigning homes to stuff, tangible & intangible
- Reduce anxiety by knowing what you have on your plate
Declutter your head.
Stop Getting Distracted: Motivation for Moms
Moms need motivation, but are often distracted.
Stop getting distracted and find the motivation you need to get momentum, find focus, make progress.
Moms need to know how to stop getting distracted, because it’s too easy to lose track of what’s important and what needs to be done.
We don’t want to waste our time. To stop wasting time, we need better timemanagement skills.
Those skills include the simple practice of writing things down. We wonder how to stay focused, but it’s as simple as writing things down, as brain dumping, to know what’s actually on our plate.
When you’re brain dumping, you’re decluttering.
The point is never to keep everything – only what matters.
Keep only the things that have a home.
- Put events & appointments on your calendar.
- Write down things that you do need to do in the next month on your to-do list.
- Put things that you need to do in the next year on a someday-maybe list.
- File information in your reference-storage area that you ought to keep, but don’t need to use actively.
“My biggest struggle was feeling overwhelmed with ‘all the things.’ I have finally embraced brain dumps as a tool and it makes a difference. Even though at first I thought it wasn’t worth the time, I did it anyway and saw it really helped.
– Alissa Brandon, Simply Convivial member
A brain dump is worth your time.
“At first, I was reluctant to try brain dumping. But I learned that my mind feels a whole lot more organized when I get all those thoughts out on paper.”
– Kelly Lee, Simply Convivial member
“A brain dump is crucial so I can have an accurate view of what actually needs done.”
– Leisa Moulton, Simply Convivial program assistant
“When I’m discouraged and overwhelmed, I start a brain dump that includes and honest look at my own attitude. It’s a simple way to improve clarity and focus.”
– Rachel Aytes, Simply Convivial member
Clear your head with our free brain dump guide:
You do not need to be overwhelmed. Simply Convivial will help walk you through proven processes to get organized for good.
