I end up being asked me from time to time what are the productivity tools I make use of. I rely on routines. Foundational & most powerful one among them being braindump.
It’s literally exactly what it sounds like. Just dump everything that keeps popping up in your mind onto a paper. You would initially have several things popping up. And then some more. And then it will start tapering off.
Key is in not attempting to organise the items that pop up in any sort of structure. Thats what makes it a braindump. Whiteboard & paper being the tools best suited for the braindump routine.
Once you have managed to dump it all somewhere, your brain is able to relax. Thereby giving it the liberty to indulge in what it does best - cognition.
You see, our brains are amazing pattern recognition engines. And poor memory devices with severely limited working memory capacities. And thats why the braindump routine becomes so powerful. It gives the brain space and time for it do some of its best work.
Do it enough number of times. You will be pleased with the results. And what it’s doing to your life in general. With each routine iteration, the brain eases further. As a result of conditioning via muscle memory / click whirr effects. Not to mention the fact that you keep getting better at it as well.