Why Brain Dumping Is One of the Best Executive Functioning Strategies for ADHD Brains

Why Brain Dumping Works (Especially for ADHD Brains)

Have you ever walked into the kitchen to make lunch, remembered you needed to answer an email, noticed the dishes, realized the dog needs to go out, wondered if you signed that school permission slip, and then completely forgot why you walked into the kitchen in the first place?

Welcome to my world! The wonderful world of ADHD and executive functioning!

For many ADHD brains, thoughts don't arrive one at a time. They all show up together. Let that sink in.

That’s like someone telling you the steps to making a three-course meal on 3X speed and not taking a breath. Do you see how your brain would implode?

It's like having 50 browser tabs open, with every single one playing music, flashing notifications, and reminding you of something you haven't finished.

Can you see how it feels so very overwhelming?

The problem isn't that ADHD brains think too much.

The problem is they're trying to remember everything at once.

Your Brain Was Never Meant to Be a Storage Unit

We all think (at least, confession, I do) that we should be able to keep a full to-do list in our head and go about our day without a care in the world.

One of the most important executive functioning skills is working memory. Remember, executive functioning is the way our brains manage all the things we have to do.

Think of working memory as your brain's sticky note. It temporarily holds information while you're using it.

Need to remember the teacher's email while packing your child's backpack? Working memory.

Trying to remember three things from the grocery store without writing them down? (busted LOL) Working memory.

Keeping track of all the things you need to do before tomorrow morning? Working memory. (And why I have a helluva time getting to sleep)

For many people with ADHD, that sticky note is already full before breakfast. My mornings look more like 100 full sticky notes all zooming around my head, flapping in my face, like they're laughing at me.

When we keep trying to store every task, worry, reminder, idea, appointment, and random thought in our heads, our brains become overloaded.

Eventually something falls off the sticky note.

That's where brain dumping comes in. I know! It sounds crazy. And maybe a little wonky. But it truly is a task to make into a habit.

What Is a Brain Dump?

A brain dump is exactly what it sounds like.

You take every thought bouncing around in your head and move it somewhere outside your brain. EVERY SINGLE thought. No thought is too small.

You can decide what works best for you as far as the “somewhere” will be.

A notebook.

A sticky note.

An app on your phone.

A whiteboard.

The back of an envelope. (Well, maybe not this one. Us ADHD’ers tend to lose stuff too. But that’s another topic for another post.)

It doesn't matter where it goes.

The goal isn't to organize it perfectly.

The goal is simply to stop your brain from carrying it all.

Why Brain Dumping Helps ADHD Brains

Imagine trying to carry 30 grocery bags at once. (My husband will absolutely tell you that I’m stubborn enough to try.)

Could you do it? Maybe.

Would it make walking difficult? Absolutely.

Would you probably drop something? Most likely.

That's what happens when our brains try to carry every thought at once.

Brain dumping gives your mind permission to set those bags down. Sounds weird but our brains often need permission to just let it go (feel free to sing like Elsa here). For me, if I don’t know in my head that I have everything documented somewhere physically outside of my head, then I worry that I’ll forget.

(Cue the spinning and racing thoughts please!)

Once everything is written down, your brain doesn't have to keep reminding you every ten seconds.

"Don't forget to call the pediatrician."

"Remember to email the teacher."

"We're almost out of milk."

"You still need to schedule that evaluation."

"Oh, and did you sign the field trip form?"

Writing it down tells your brain: "I've got it. You don't have to keep holding onto it."

And that frees up mental energy for actually getting things done.

Brain Dumping Is an Executive Function Strategy

People often think executive functioning is just about planning or organization.

It's massively bigger than that.

Executive functioning includes skills like:

Working memory

Planning

Prioritizing

Task initiation

Organization

Emotional regulation

Cognitive flexibility

Self-monitoring

Brain dumping supports several of these skills at once.

Instead of juggling dozens of thoughts internally, you're creating an external system your brain can rely on.

It's not cheating.

It's using tools that match how your brain works.

Just like wearing glasses doesn't mean your eyes failed, writing things down doesn't mean your brain failed.

It means you're giving it the support it needs.

Parents Need Brain Dumps Too

If you're parenting a neurodivergent child, your mental tabs aren't just your own.

This is where it gets really fun (sarcasm intended). So, my head is spinning and then I add in all the things that I need to do to help my kiddo not spin right along with me. Kaboom!!!

You're remembering:

School meetings

Therapy appointments

Medication refills

Teacher emails

Homework

Sports schedules

Grocery lists

Insurance paperwork

Laundry

Dinner

Work deadlines

And on, and on, and on ... infinitum.

It's exhausting. And that, my friends, is putting it mildly.

Seriously, the most productive thing you can do isn't always crossing an item off your list.

It's getting the list out of your head.

So, Now the Fun Stuff! How to Do a Brain Dump

First, do NOT overthink it.

Set a timer for five minutes.

Write down everything that's taking up space in your brain.

Every task.

Every worry.

Every reminder.

Every idea.

Every "don't forget..."

Do not organize.

Do not prioritize.

Do not judge yourself.

Just empty the mental backpack.

Once everything is on paper, take a breath.

Then ask yourself one simple question: What's the next smallest step I can take?

Not the biggest.

Not the most important.

Just the next step.

That's often enough to get your brain moving again.

Your Brain Isn't Broken. It’s Just Wired Differently.

One of the hardest parts of executive functioning challenges is believing you "should" be able to keep track of everything.

We tend to “should” ourselves to death.

Please, please do NOT should all over yourself!

Your brain was never designed to be your planner, calendar, filing cabinet, and reminder app all at the same time.

Brain dumping isn't about becoming more organized overnight.

It really isn’t about organizing at all.

It's about giving your brain a chance to breathe.

And sometimes, that's exactly what it needs to move from overwhelmed to capable.

So, if today feels like you have 50 tabs open ...

I want you to right now ...

Grab a piece of paper.

Open a notes app.

Find a napkin if that's all you've got.

And get it out of your head.

Your brain will thank you for it.

Additionally, teach this to your kiddo! It will be a valuable tool in their neurodiverse toolbox.

Not to mention, if they get good at it, then you won’t have as much to “dump”.

Now, stop “shoulding” and start “dumping”.

Here's video I made to show how I use my brain dump list. 😊