For when you need a starting point but you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or distracted.
Our minds can sometimes act like a merry-go-round of random thoughts, questions, important information, and reminders. And somewhere under all the noise and excitement is that inner knowing—of what we need to know right now, what is most beneficial for our health, happiness, and productivity.
The Brain Hush list requires that you list all the things on your mind right now regardless of priority or sense. Everything your brain is screaming at you about, from random thoughts to basic living tasks, work deadlines, to self-care time.
It may look something like this:
- Make lunches
- File taxes
- Call Jen back
- Take a walk with kids
- Go grocery shopping
- What does my body really want/need today?
- Schedule Dent. appointment
- Drink more water
- Meditate
- Take a shower
- Reply to Mia
- I think I want to start a writing circle…
- Go to the bank
- Check if the greenhouse is open yet
- Research solutions for (work thing)
- Plan a date night – I really need a date night!
- Return library books
- Get a book about macrame
- Make a gratitude list
This isn’t just a “daily” to-do list. It’s more like an everything-ever list, with bits of mind mush sprinkled in between. It’s simply intended to help empty your brain.
When everything ever is spinning around in your mind, it can make it hard to concentrate on what actually needs to be done.
When we take things off our minds by writing them down, our brains can relax knowing that all the important tasks and reminders, and other random information is safe and sound. It won’t be lost or forgotten.
A sense of spaciousness and ease may wash over you and provide the opportunity for you to realize what it is that you really, actually, need to focus on next.
This list can also offer you some perspective and clarity on what is a today-thing, what is a sometime-later-thing, or what is a well-that’s-nice-to-know-thing.
Once you have made the list and relished in your brain-hushed brilliance, you can go back to your list in 20 mins, an hour, a day…and “star” the things that can/must/would benefit you the most today to focus on. Write your top 3 on the Next 3 things list. And let the rest sit here safely for future reflection/scheduling.
HOW to make a Brain Hush list:
Make two headings in your notebook.
[Heading 1] Brain Hush List – List everything ever, the shoulds, todo’s, questions, reminders, noisy thoughts:
[Heading 2] Next 3 things – List the activities that will serve you the greatest at this time – top priority tasks, self-care, or just-feels-right-today-activities:
PS. Need a new notebook? Check out my favorite Everyday Notebooks—Purse/Pocket size, softcover notebooks with 32 blank pages from Alaska based bookbinder and paper boutique, 10 Cups of Tea.