I used to struggle with using one planner consistently.Trying to fit everything that’s in your brain into a single planner feels impossible at times.Creating a system you can stick to so you can enjoy your planner and stress-free organization workflow is a must. 

The key to successfully organizing a planner and consistently using it lies in brain dumping. But it must be followed by organizing those thoughts into categories and task lists using an easy, repeatable system, tailored to you, to reduce overwhelm and help you take action.

This isn’t just an exhaustive list of tools you could use and it’s not all about how I personally organize my planner. This article is all about figuring out which tools are best for your personality and needs so that you can use them in an easily repeatable system. This way, you’ll be consistent in your planner, reduce the overwhelming thoughts in your head, and increase your productivity.

Organizing a planner using brain dumping: who will this help?

Anyone can increase their productivity and reduce the overwhelm by using the brain dumping method to organize their planner when the method and tools used fit that person’s needs and personality. I’ve worked with a lot of people to help them create a planning and workflow system that fits them and their needs so they can keep crushing their goals. 

Among the list are entrepreneurs, students, parents, teachers, coaches, and startups. Some have had chronic medical conditions; such as ADD, ADHD, OCD, Anxiety, and Autoimmune disorders like Lupus, Sjogrene’s Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and RA. Each one comes with an overabundance of symptoms to manage alongside their professional and life duties.

Some of these symptoms affect mental clarity, ease of decision making, and staying focused in thoughts and actions. Add in a long to-do list, upcoming events, and trying to make work-life blend in addition to managing these ‘sidekicks’ trying to set us back? No wonder we feel overwhelmed.

So, let’s figure this out together.

We’ll discover:

1. Which methods in each step work best for you 
2. Then, we’ll create your own system that you can use like clockwork to reduce overwhelm and increase productivity

Step 1: Methods and Tools for Brain Dumping

• Trello

Trello can be used to brain dump as well. One of my clients decided to label a List as “Brain Dump” and place each item on a card within the list. Needless to say, the list appeared to be FOR.E.VER long and completely overwhelmed her to the point she closed her laptop and sat it down for days. 

Admittedly, it was a little daunting to look at even for me. 

The issue wasn’t the method, it was her follow through. We’ll cover Categorizing the brain dump next, but for her, with ADD, she refused to go back to it. 

I opened it up, set up a couple categories, started moving cards under main categories, and within 5 minutes had the appearance to the point she was happy to work within Trello and complete the project set up. 

If you choose this tool to use to brain dump, please make sure you’re ready for the appearance of more than there really is. 

Con: Each card takes up more space than a line on a paper so it makes 10 things look like 20. If you find a lot of discomfort in typing or using a mouse, this may not be the best method. You won’t use the mouse a ton in the brain dumping but once we start categorizing you’ll use the mouse more. There’s also the short time it takes to learn this program (as with any).

Pro: Trello is free. It’s super easy and quick for categorizing and creating task lists after the brain dump.If you have less discomfort in typing than writing this may be a good option for you. 

Just be prepared to follow through with categorizing after the brain dump, which you should do with any tool.

• Loose Lined Paper

Good ole fashioned lined paper. I will sometimes brain dump on sheets of lined paper. When I first started brain dumping at my corporate job I would fill up over 4-5 pages. I learned quickly to brain dump more often. 

Pro: you can slap it in your binder and take it with you to work on when you can. It’s relatively inexpensive and you can use pen or pencil. This is great for “I need to hold it in my hand” types.

Con: The list will have to be re-written in the follow through steps of categorizing and checklists. This is fine if you enjoy writing and it’s kind of an outlet for you, but if it’s uncomfortable to write a lot you may find discomfort in this process. 

• Copy Paper

This is great for the perfectionist who feels like they have to have perfect writing on lined paper or tries to start categorizing during brain dumping. I will sometimes use little drawings and shorthand on copy paper with a quick brain dump.

Pro: The pages can be holepunched and put in your binder for mobility. You can circle items and draw lines of things connected, use icons, shorthand, and drawings to help in your braindump. There’s no lines so you feel freedom to express whatever is up there instead of getting pulled into trying to categorize thoughts as they go down on the paper.

Con: Again, a lot of writing. Check your discomfort levels as you go along. Sometimes the notes can get sloppy and run into other items which will give confusion in the next step, especially if it’s been a few days since you did the braindump and it’s not fresh on your mind what something meant.

• Whiteboard or Chalkboard

One of my favorites. A big white board or chalkboard is great to throw ideas on. It’s oversized and usually on the wall.

Pro: For those that are uncomfortable sitting a lot, with a board on the wall you’ll have a chance to stand and move around. You can step back from the massive amount of information and some people find this helps them digest it a little better. This would be great if it’s uncomfortable to write with small pens or pencils but  markers being larger are better; then it could be paired with another tool on Categorizing and list steps to further accommodate or just reduce the amount of small writing needed.

Con:  If the board is on the wall or too high and standing is not a strong suit for you, this could be uncomfortable if it takes you a while. Some people write really big and a small list could appear overwhelming just from the size of the medium being used. Depending on which tool you use for the categorizing and task list steps, it will require either re-writing or typing the contents.

• Notebook

This is great to dedicate an old notebook to your brain dumping. You can either rip out pages once they’ve been categorized and task listed into your planner or just simply mark them off to refer back to later. I’m a minimalist of unnecessary things to reduce overwhelming thoughts so I typically rip the pages out and throw them away once completed.

Pros: the notebook can be carried with you everywhere. It can be a cute print or matching your planner or journal. It could even be a professional covering, like leather bound, so no one suspects the chaos inside!

Cons: If you’re a person that hoards notebooks or struggles to use them because they’re so cute, this might not work for you. You may find yourself holding on to old notebooks that should be thrown away to reduce clutter and bring peace to your workspace and brain instead.

• Planner Notes Pages

Using the notes section in your planner is a great option. It automatically goes with you wherever you have your planner and can be constantly updated and plugged in when ready.

Pro: It combines resources so you only have one item to carry with you if you aren’t done organizing. You can note down thoughts throughout the week so that most of the brain dumping has been done continuously to reduce the overwhelming thoughts that build up from planning session to planning session and have them all in one spot when you’re ready to organize them. 

Con: most planners don’t have a lot of pages in the notes section so you may run out of these sheets before you’re done with the planner. 

• Laminated Sheets

These can be kept in your planner, or hole punched and added to a binder. They could also be hole punched in the top corner and a string added to tie to the planner spirals so the sheet doesn’t get lost if it falls out.

Pro: Reusable and wet erase markers may be easier on some people to write with. Cna write it down immediately with no chance of forgetting.

categorizing and task list.

Con: May not allow enough room. The writing may start to wipe off before your next planning day.

• Window or Mirror

Using dry erase, I’ve filled up our sliding glass door or the window in my office.

Pro: For those who love the outdoors but are stuck inside, it’s a great way to get a ‘feel’ of being outside without the direct UV ray or heat exposure.  Cleans off with Window Cleaner or a damp rag if not left for days. Can be done anywhere there are windows or mirrors for those who prefer using white boards or chalkboards over paper to brain dump.

Con: The contents must be re-written or typed. It’s stationary.

• Miro.com

I haven’t used this much for brain dumping itself, but essentially there’s templates of sticky notes, charts, etc. you can dump enough on and move around within the program to have a visual.

Pro: If typing is easier on you than writing but you like the visual of a whiteboard or sticky notes on the wall, this is for you.

Con: Again, I haven’t used this too much yet for brain dumping, so I’m not sure all of the cons but one might be the learning curve of the program (as for any).

• Google Docs

Voice to text feature is great for getting your thoughts out.

Tip: After speaking an item click the enter button and repeat. This way you end up with some sort of list instead of a run on paragraph with sentences that don’t make sense to work through.

Pro: Hosted in the cloud so it can be accessed anywhere. Can be printed easily for organization. Reduces typing by being able to speak.

Con: If you don’t speak clearly, have a heavy accent, or speak too fast, it may not pick up what you say correctly. If you end up with a run on paragraph, it may overwhelm you to go back and categorize it.

Step 2: Methods of categorizing your thoughts after a brain dump

After you dump everything out of your brain, now it’s time to start organizing. Don’t freak out on me, I’m sure it “looks” overwhelming and feels “impossible”, but there’s some ways to make it easier for you! 

You’ll have to decide on your own categories that fit your needs. Some simple ones are work, school, personal, kids, projects/events, and  “business name”

• Highlighting–

Use soft color highlighters to reduce anxiety as the page becomes super colorful. Color code your highlights at the top of your page so you remember which color represents which category.

• Code with Colors, Shapes, or Dots

Color code dots or shapes beside each item. I started using simple shapes in color code when doing this with my husband. He’s colorblind so shapes stand out to him but the colors pop better for me.

• Moving Cells within the Program

If you used something Like Excel, simply cut items from your brain dump column and paste cells under category columns.

• Re-writing

If you used a whiteboard, chalkboard, window, or mirror, you may want to now use paper or a program to create columns and write or type the items in from your brain dump list. Don’t forget to mark it off or erase it as you move it.

• Quadrant Sheet

Writing out quadrants on a sheet of paper if you have 4 categories and placing all the items on one sheet from your brain dump resource.

• Trello

If you started a Brain Dump List in Trello, now you can just add lists with the names of your categories and move the item cards out of the brain dump list into the correct category list. If you didn’t use Trello to brain dump, just simply set up your lists by category and add each item as a card under the correct category.

• Miro.com

Like mentioned previously, it works like an online whiteboard so you can move items around into columns or sections that are related by category.

As you’re categorizing your list, if you come across things you don’t really need to worry about but was just taking up space in your brain, just scratch them off. When you come across items you can delegate off easily without having to babysit or return to it, make a separate list with the item and the name of the person you can hand it to. Do not add these to your planner if not necessary.

Step 3: Methods of creating task lists within the categories of the brain dump

Once you get the categories pulled together, now we get to organize each category to create a workflow. Checklists or Task lists are a great way to do this. If you see in your category list there are items that are steps to another item, it’s time to rearrange those, color code them, or underline them.

• Trello

In each card there are a lot of options to help further organize and implement your items. You can create checklists, due dates on a card, assign to a team member/family member, add a color coded label, and even leave comments and activities on these items. (say an item is to make an appointment with a new doctor but you’re waiting on the medical records you requested to be sent. You can add that note and set a due date to call again to check on the status)

• Sticky notes

Organize the tasks within the categories that go together by putting them in order on a sticky note per ‘topic’. The lined sticky notes are perfect for this and the long, lined, and tabbed ones are great for detailed or longer lists. 

• Checklist on paper

You can write down longer task lists or more detailed task lists on a notebook paper or in your planner notes section. Be sure to Title the Page as the topic.

Step 4: Methods of organizing your planner after categorizing your Brain Dump

• Sticky notes

The checklists you made in the previous step (or want to make now) can be stuck right on the day they need to be done in your planner, they can be overlapped to still see what’s under them on the calendar, or moved to another day.

These Sticky notes are great for placing on a “Project” Sheet in your Planner and just writing in the name of the project on the day the checklist needs to be done and flipping to the project sheet. This is also great because you’ll only be looking at the project sheet which may help you not get distracted by other tasks in your month, week, or day view inside your planner.

Another option is to write the important but not vital things like grocery shopping, cleaning or cooking, on small sticky notes so they can be moved to different time blocks or days.

• Trello

This is a great tool, especially for planning ahead events, trips, school semesters, product launches, content creation, marketing, and so much more.

If you’re more of a hands-on paper planner type, don’t completely throw this idea out yet. I prefer paper planners for daily use, but I’ve also found I can, in detail, plan out a marketing project with due dates, checklists, workflow steps, and so much more using Trello.

So, I can organize the workflow of a project within Trello and then in my paper planner I simply time-block out or list in “name of the project-Trello”. This way I’m not staring at the daunting task list and getting overwhelmed on days I’m not scheduled to dedicate time to that project.

Another option with Trello is the Google Calendar Power Up. You get one free Power Up per board and can connect the calendar in Trello to your Google Calendar. Now, keep in mind, all your due dates will show up in there so if that’s a little over whelming you could just use the Calendar view in Trello so you can see upcoming due dates and write “Topic-Trello-due” in your planner.

• Checklist on paper 

If you have discbound, you can hole punch the checklist to pop right in your planner. You could staple to another sheet, paperclip to that month or add a little piece of double sided tape and place it inside the back cover.

Another Idea is taping the corner to make it a little more sturdy, punch a hole, and add thread tied to the spiral of your planner so if the sheet falls out it should dangle instead of flying across a parking lot.

• Google calendar

If you use a digital calendar more than a paper or you want detailed notes on your person and accessible from any device, you could save the name of the task topic in your time block on Google Calendar and in the notes section add the task list to be done.

• Color or shape coding

Again, this works great for organizing your planner by topic. Use the same color or shape method as when you categorized.

• Pens and pencils

I typically write in pen in my planner things that are non-negotiable. Like doctor appointments, paying a bill, or meetings. I then write in pencil things I can move around if I don’t feel up to it that day like grocery shopping, cleaning, or cooking. (that’s why we meal prep and freeze it)

These things still need to be done but it’s not crucial they get done on that particular day or time. These items I’ll also write down on tiny sticky notes that can be moved around also.

• Time-blocking

If you have a project that you’re blocking off a couple hours for, you could write the task list within the designated time block

• Planner stickers

I prefer sticky notes because they’re less busy and can be removed but there’s a ton of options for stickers for planners that might tickle your fancy! If you’re easily overwhelmed visually or have ADD, ADHD, or Anxiety, I suggest only trying this in a couple places to see how your brain reacts for a few days instead of going all in with these.

• Index cards –

These can be hole punched with a piece of thread or string added and then tied to a spiral in your planner and used as a bookmark in the week the checklist belongs in. Then just note your planner as “Topic Name-postcard” 

• Laminated sheet –

Keep a laminated sheet in your planner or add a notepad to the back cover with double sided tape to use for an ongoing brain dump list with upcoming necessities throughout the week, then organize and plan out on Sunday for the upcoming weeks

How to Use these Steps and Tools:

Create Your Own System for Organizing Your Planner Using Brain Dumping

There’s a lot going on up there, in the post and in your head I’m sure. The goal is to pick one tool out of each step above and create your own flow of organizing your planner with brain dumping. If a particular step didn’t jive well, then when you do your planning the next week trade it out for a different step. Track what you’ve tried and how you felt about it. As you’re planning, write down in the notes section in your planner for that week which methods you used and be sure to note how you felt about each one. When you plan the next week, go back and review your notes for each step you get to and make adjustments until you create your own system that works for you. This may take some time, trial and error and you may even find techniques you thought were not your style end up working best for you because you paired it with a different tool in another step