Clear your mind

Untangle Your Brain

The next time you feel overwhelmed with too many thoughts, pull out your favorite pen and settle in for a "brain dump."

A brain dump is simply the act of dumping your mind's contents onto paper. Letting all the clutter spill onto the page gives you a sense of relief from the pressure of having it swirling around in your head. Unlike regular journaling, however, brain dumps have no specific structure. You can write your thoughts and feelings in list form, paragraphs, sketches, or any other way you like.

Write until you feel like the pressure inside of you is lessened. Don't worry about organizing your thoughts or grammar. The idea is to get thoughts out of your head and decide what to do with them later. It's about letting go and letting the words flow. Don't judge yourself. Just get it on the paper and breathe.

When you do a brain dump, you reduce feelings of stress and overwhelm and give yourself mental space for new ideas and thoughts to take root. In addition, a clear mind makes it much easier for you to focus on the tasks you need to get done, like preparing for an exam or writing a paper.

A brain dump is an excellent tool for moments when you need to clear your head. It can also be used as a routine self-care activity that you do every morning or every night.