Brain Dump Journal — Emptying a Crowded Head

What it's for

When your mind feels crowded but the items are too small to "journal about," a brain dump clears the buffer. It's the journaling equivalent of taking out the trash: not profound, but you feel better in a room without it.

How to do one

• ·Pick a steady scene — the rain window or the night train.
• ·Don't organize. Write each thought on its own line.
• ·Keep going until the stream thins out.
• ·Don't reread. The point was the emptying.
• ·Optionally, star one or two things to actually handle — then close it.

Why it beats a to-do list

A to-do list captures tasks. A brain dump captures everything — the task, the worry behind the task, the half-feeling that isn't a task at all. The worry is usually the part weighing on you.