Clear your mind the ‘write’ way
4 strategies for decluttering your mind, unleashing creativity, and busting stress.
Ever feel like your mind is a swirling tornado of random thoughts, worries, and ideas? It's a productivity killer when you can't focus on a single thing. But fear not! I've got your back with five strategies to declutter your mind, unleash your inner creative genius, and kick stress to the curb.
As someone who values clarity, I find writing to be my go-to tool. That's why the four strategies I'm sharing with you today all involve the magic of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).
Do stick around for the bonus 5th strategy, which doesn't involve writing but promises to rock your world 👯♀️
Mind dump — Declutter your mind
Mind dump is like a mental detox where you unleash the floodgates 🌊 of your mind and let all your thoughts, concerns, and ideas pour out onto paper or screen.
The beauty of mind dumping is that there are no rules or structures to follow. You can cover anything and everything that's occupying your mind, giving those thoughts a new home outside your head.
This powerful technique helps declutter your thoughts, release mental pressure, and regain control over overwhelming or racing thoughts. It's a game-changer for improving focus, prioritizing tasks, and finding clarity in the midst of chaos.
Whether you prefer the speed of a keyboard ⌨️ or the tactile sensation of pen and paper ✍️, mind dumping can be done digitally or in a good old-fashioned journal. Personally, I find the keyboard better at keeping up with my racing thoughts.
So, where do I mind dump?
Well, I've turned my trusty Chrome browser into a temporary notepad by typing the following nifty li’l code in the address bar.
data:text/html, <html contenteditable>❗️It's a quick and easy solution, but remember, anything you write will be gone if you accidentally close the browser window.
For a more secure option, try the free and hassle-free website litewrite.net. It saves your mind dumps so you can revisit them later.
Free writing — Unlock Your Creative Flow
Get ready to unleash your creative genius with the power of free writing.
It's a technique where you set a specific time limit, like 10 minutes, and let your thoughts flow onto the page without any judgment or editing.
At first, your thoughts may be messy, just like opening a clogged tap and seeing muddy water gush out. But as you continue writing, your mind clears up, and your thoughts become like a clear stream.
Free writing helps you cut through the clutter, allowing you to focus on what truly matters and make surprising connections between seemingly unrelated ideas.
The goal of free writing is to tap into your subconscious mind, ignite your creativity, and spark a cascade of new ideas. It's a powerful tool for overcoming writer's block, exploring your inner thoughts and emotions, or simply brainstorming.
Now, you might wonder, how is free writing different from mind dumping?
While both techniques serve the purpose of clearing the mind and reducing stress, they approach it differently and have distinct outcomes.
Mind dumping is a focused activity that helps release and organize your thoughts, providing clarity and alleviating mental clutter.
On the other hand, free writing is an open-ended and creative practice that stimulates thought flow and generates ideas. That's why I personally prefer free writing because I can refer back to my writings later for inspiration.
When it comes to free writing, there are no limits to where you can do it. Grab a fancy pencil and your favorite journal for a traditional experience, or use a digital platform like Notion. In my Notion workspace, I have a dedicated page called 'Playground' where I do my free writing. By the time I'm done, it's filled with a treasure trove of project ideas and post ideas. Whenever I'm ready to work on one of those ideas, I move it to a subpage called 'Battlefield'.
Give free writing a try, and witness the magic of your untapped creativity flowing effortlessly onto the page.
Action-Oriented Writing — Get Things Done!
When your mind is in chaos and deadlines are looming, it's time to turn to action-oriented writing. This powerful technique helps you regain control and tackle tasks head-on, even in the midst of a chaotic mind.
To kick-start your action-oriented writing session, begin with a mind dump. Let it all out and rant about everything that's cluttering your mind. Once you've cleared the mental clutter, shift your focus to your intentions — what higher purpose are you striving to achieve?
Next, take a moment to appreciate the small things by listing what you're grateful for, despite the chaos. Finally, create an action item list that will help you conquer the overwhelming weight on your shoulders.
This structured approach works best when done soon after a mind dump. Follow this framework to guide your writing:
Mind Dump
Rant about... thing 1, thing 2, thing 3, and so on...
Intentions
What higher purpose am I striving for?
Grateful For
In spite of all the chaos, I'm grateful for:
Action Items
Actions that will turn those intentions into reality:
Measures of success
By week/month end, the following would help me measure progress towards each:
With action-oriented writing, you'll find yourself regaining focus, clarifying priorities, and making progress toward your goals. Embrace the power of words and let them propel you forward on your journey to success!
Slaying the Overwhelming To-Do List
I'm not opposed to to-do lists; in fact, I find immense satisfaction in checking off completed tasks ✅ But on those days when the endless to-do list becomes your greatest source of bewilderment, it's time to slay it.
Bid farewell to the non-essential items and channel your undivided attention toward the few things that truly matter.
Here are a few guiding questions I ask myself to make this tough choice:
The 80–20 Rule — Identify the 20% of activities that will bring you 80% of the desired positivity or results.
The Under 2-Minute Rule — Can any tasks be completed in under 2 minutes? If so, tackle them right away.
The End-of-the-Day Rule — If only two hours remain in the day, which tasks are absolutely essential to accomplish?
When diving into your daily tasks, maintaining focus on one objective at a time is crucial. Consider utilizing helpful apps like Forest, Pomodor, or browser-based timers like this to keep distractions at bay.
And as promised, here's a non-writing strategy to clear your mind and conquer stress.
A friend a week
When was the last time you made a new friend?
Back in the school days, remember how often we used to make new friends? It felt effortless.
Studies show that as we grow older, the number of new friendships we form tends to decline, especially after the age of 25. We get caught up in the hustle of adult life and focus more on our existing social circles.
Now, don't get me wrong. Deepening our current friendships is essential, and they become more meaningful over time. But it doesn't mean we should stop making new connections altogether. Even beyond the age of 25, we can still benefit from making new friends.
I'm not talking about crashing parties or networking events. No, it's about meeting people from different walks of life, those who aren't necessarily in the same industry as us. It's about listening to their stories, understanding their perspectives, and expanding our horizons.
It may not directly declutter our minds, but it offers a refreshing outlook on life.
So, let's challenge ourselves to forge a new friendship every week, regardless of our age. Who knows? We might discover incredible connections and enrich our lives in unexpected ways.
De-stressing your mind in whatever healthy way you prefer is important to lead your life smoothly and peacefully. Nice write up.