Free Printable Brain Dump Template
Get everything out of your head and onto one page, sorted into tasks, errands, worries and ideas. Rename any section, circle the date, and print. No account, completely free to edit and print.
About This Free Brain Dump Template
A brain dump is a tool you use when too much is running around your head at once: the email you owe, the form due on Friday, the phone call you have been meaning to make. This free printable brain dump template has a section for each kind of thought, so you can see what is there and deal with it one section at a time.
How to Use This Brain Dump Template
- Write down everything on your mind, putting each item in whichever section fits. Sort and prioritize later.
- Rename any section by clicking its heading and typing over it. Swap WORRIES for SCHOOL, or IDEAS for GIFTS.
- Click the month, weekday and date in the strip at the top to circle them, then print. Leave the strip blank if you would rather circle the date by hand.
With everything on paper, go through the sheet with a pen. Tick off what is done, cross out what no longer matters, and copy the tasks worth keeping onto a to do list or into your daily planner.
Why Do a Brain Dump on Paper?
Keeping a list in your head costs mental effort, and leads to becoming stressed and overwhelmed. Once it is written down, you can stop rehearsing it. A printed sheet also stays in view on the desk or the fridge, with no notifications popping up over it.
Use it as a brain dump worksheet on Sunday evening before the week starts, first thing in the morning, or whenever your head feels full. It also works as a printable brain dump for one big project: rename the sections after its parts and write down everything you know about it.
Features
Ten Sections
Tasks, errands, calls, worries, ideas and five more, each with its own lines.
Rename Any Section
Rename the headings as you see fit, directly in the browser.
Circle the Date
Click a month, weekday and day to circle them on screen, or print the strip blank and use a pen.
Tick Off Tasks
The tasks and shopping sections have checkboxes, square or round, for ticking on screen or on paper.
Fonts & Colors
Pick a title font, a body font and a color scheme. The print matches the settings you choose.
Prints on One Page
All ten sections fit on one sheet of A4 or Letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a brain dump?
A brain dump means writing down everything on your mind in one go, before you judge or order any of it. You put tasks, worries, half-formed ideas and things you keep meaning to do on the same page. Once they are out of your head, you can sort them, act on some and drop the rest.
Is this brain dump template really free?
Yes. There is no fee and no sign-up. Print a fresh sheet as often as you need one.
Can I change the section names?
Yes. Click any heading and type over it. The sheet starts with sections like Errands, Worries and Decisions to Make, and you can rename them after your own categories, such as Budgeting, Work Projects or Garden. Your names print on the sheet.
How does the date strip work?
Click a month, a day of the week and a date to circle each one, and click again to clear it. If you leave the strip alone, it prints blank for circling by hand. The week start toggle above the sheet puts Monday or Sunday first.
How often should I do a brain dump?
Whenever your head feels crowded. Try one on Sunday evening to set up the week, and a short one after a busy day to help you stop thinking about work.
What should I write in a brain dump?
Anything taking up space in your head: jobs, bills, calls you keep putting off, questions to ask, things to buy, worries, and ideas you do not want to lose. If you keep reminding yourself of something, write it down.
Is a brain dump the same as a to do list?
A to do list holds tasks you plan to do. In a brain dump you write down everything first, including worries and ideas that are not tasks at all. Afterwards, copy the real tasks onto a to do list and plan when to do them.
Can I print a blank brain dump sheet?
Leave everything empty and print. You get the full layout with ruled lines and an unmarked date strip, ready for a pen.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Open the page, fill in the sheet and print. There is no sign-up form and no email to enter.
What paper size does it print on?
A4 or US Letter. Either size holds all ten sections on one page.
Can I save my brain dump as a PDF?
The Save as PDF button downloads the sheet with your entries in it, laid out the way it prints.
