The head is full. He soon seems to explode with sheer chaos. The thought of the full laundry basket flashes, then the e-mails that still need to be answered, the important meeting, the Doodle survey that has to be filled out and when packing for the weekend trip, the contact lens solution must not be forgotten under any circumstances.
It's something like this in our heads every day. With so many loose thoughts and unsolved tasks, many people get stressed or anxious. A simple method can help to organize the chaos in your head: brain dumping.
Braindumping (also brain dumping or brain-dumping) means in German something like: "empty the brain". And that is exactly the basis of this method. The head is cleaned out in a figurative sense, because the thoughts find their way onto a piece of paper. Everything that's on your mind at the moment is written down - whether it's worries, deadlines or just the thought of the next week's shopping. The principle works similar to clearing out and tidying up a closet. Brain dumping helps to break down an unresolved mess into manageable parts. This makes it easier to focus on the things that are important right now. This method can help reduce stress and also prevent anxiety. If you want to reduce your own brooding or overthinking, you only need a piece of paper, a pen and a little time.
There are different ways to use this method. If a lot of thoughts are buzzing through your head, it can help to organize your head every day. But there is nothing wrong with only using this method from time to time. The technique that suits you best should be used. Three types of brain dumping:
To start the day fresh, it can be helpful to write down all the thoughts that are circling in your head in a notebook first thing in the morning. Anything that pops into your head at that moment is allowed on the paper. There is no thought that is too unimportant. Just writing it down helps the brain clear the clutter.
Tasks, worries and to-dos are now in a different place. This technique also helps the brain recognize and categorize problems. It's easier to relax. If you have trouble sleeping in the evening, you can also try this method before bed.
In this braindump, a piece of paper is divided into four squares and into the following categories: to do, thoughts, gratitude, top 3 priorities:
Thoughts: Any random thoughts that pop up will find their place in this category. Don't think about it too much!
To do: All pending tasks are noted here.
Gratitude: As the name suggests, all things for which one is grateful should be written down here.
Top 3 Priorities: The three most important items are captured by the to-do list.
Not only thoughts are organized, but the most important tasks are prioritized. These can be processed day by day.
Quellen:PsychCentral,Psychology Today
