Brain dump

50 brain dump prompts, sorted by bin, plus a trigger list

Updated · Done Enough

50 brain dump prompts, sorted by bin, plus a trigger list
In this guide (13 parts)
  1. How to use these prompts
  2. To do (10 prompts)
  3. Call or text (8 prompts)
  4. Buy (8 prompts)
  5. Worries (8 prompts)
  6. Ideas (8 prompts)
  7. Don’t forget (8 prompts)
  8. Brain dump trigger list by area of life
  9. Prompts for students
  10. Why prompts work better than a blank page
  11. Prompts for specific moments
  12. If you have ADHD
  13. After the prompts: pick 3

Brain dump prompts are short questions that pull hidden tasks and worries out of your head when you sit down and go blank. The 50 below are sorted into the same 6 bins as our template, so every answer already lands in the right place.

Use them with the free brain dump template or the printable PDF. Not every prompt will apply to you. Skip freely.

How to use these prompts

  1. Set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. Read one bin at a time. Don’t answer every prompt. Stop at the ones that make something pop up.
  3. Write one line per item. “Call vet” is enough.
  4. When the timer ends, pick 3 and circle 1. Then write the first physical move for the circled item.

To do (10 prompts)

  1. What did I promise to do this week?
  2. What is due in the next 7 days?
  3. What have I started but not finished?
  4. What am I avoiding?
  5. What would take less than 2 minutes?
  6. What paperwork is sitting on a table somewhere?
  7. What needs fixing at home?
  8. What do I need to prepare for tomorrow?
  9. What keeps showing up on my list without getting done?
  10. What would make tomorrow morning easier?

Call or text (8 prompts)

  1. Who am I waiting on?
  2. Who is waiting on me?
  3. Which message have I read but not answered?
  4. Which appointment do I need to book?
  5. Who do I owe a thank-you?
  6. Who should I check in on?
  7. What do I need to ask my boss, partner or kid’s school?
  8. Which call have I been putting off?

Buy (8 prompts)

  1. What are we almost out of?
  2. What do we need before the weekend?
  3. Which gifts or cards are coming up?
  4. What broke and needs replacing?
  5. What do the kids or pets need?
  6. What did I add to a cart and forget?
  7. Which bill or subscription needs paying or canceling?
  8. What do I need for an upcoming trip or event?

Worries (8 prompts)

  1. What is on my mind right now?
  2. What is worrying me that I can’t act on today?
  3. What am I dreading?
  4. What conversation do I keep replaying?
  5. What feels unfinished?
  6. What am I afraid I forgot?
  7. What would I tell a friend in my situation?
  8. What do I need more of this week (rest, help, time alone)?

Ideas (8 prompts)

  1. What would I do with a free Saturday?
  2. What do I want to learn or try?
  3. What could make a daily chore easier?
  4. What idea keeps coming back?
  5. What would I like to change at work?
  6. What fun thing could we plan as a family?
  7. What did I see recently that inspired me?
  8. What would “done enough” look like for my biggest project?

Don’t forget (8 prompts)

  1. Which dates are coming up this month?
  2. Which password, form or code do I keep looking for?
  3. What do I need to bring tomorrow?
  4. Which renewals or expiry dates are close?
  5. What did someone ask me to remember?
  6. What needs signing or returning to school?
  7. Where did I put that thing I’ll need soon?
  8. What is one thing I keep forgetting?

Brain dump trigger list by area of life

A trigger list is a quicker scan: just area names. Read each word and write anything it reminds you of.

Area Triggers
Home kitchen, laundry, repairs, clutter, yard, car
Work deadlines, emails, meetings, reports, follow-ups
Money bills, budget, refunds, taxes, subscriptions
People family, friends, partner, neighbors, thank-yous
Kids and pets school forms, activities, vet, supplies
Health appointments, prescriptions, sleep, movement
Admin documents, renewals, passwords, insurance
Fun and rest trips, hobbies, books, plans, downtime

Tip: on a busy day, use only the trigger list. Save the 50 prompts for a weekly reset.

Prompts for students

A shorter set for school: A short set that covers most of school life:

  • Which assignments are due in the next 7 days?
  • Which class am I most behind in?
  • Who do I need to email: a teacher, a group partner, the office?
  • What do I need to buy or print before class?
  • Which test or quiz am I worried about?
  • What would make this week feel lighter?

Dump the answers, sort them into the same six bins, then pick 3 for today. If one assignment feels too big to start, write its first physical move: open the doc and type the title.

Why prompts work better than a blank page

A blank page asks you to remember everything at once. A specific question gives your memory something to work with, which a blank page doesn’t. That is why a list of questions often turns up items you had completely forgotten, like a form due Friday or a friend you meant to text. Keep this page bookmarked, or copy your favorite 10 prompts onto an index card next to your notebook.

Prompts for specific moments

Moment Best prompts to start with
Morning, before email 2, 8, 12, 45
Before bed 27, 28, 32, 10
Sunday reset 1, 19, 43, 42
Stuck at work 3, 4, 9, 39

If you have ADHD

Fifty prompts can feel like another long list. A few ways to use them without getting overwhelmed:

  • Use one bin per session. Pick the bin that feels most crowded today and read only those prompts.
  • Stop at three hits. Once three prompts have shaken something loose, stop reading and start sorting.
  • Read them out loud. Hearing a prompt can work better than reading a list of them.
  • Keep the trigger list where you dump. Tape it inside the notebook cover so you don’t have to look for it.
  • Always end with pick 3, circle 1. Prompts make the list longer; the circle makes it doable.

The Stuck-day printable workbook in our shop pairs prompts like these with brain dump pages and pick-3 sheets. For more tweaks, see the ADHD brain dump guide.

After the prompts: pick 3

Prompts make the list longer, so you need to cut it back down before you start. Once the timer ends:

  1. Look across all six bins.
  2. Star 3 things that matter today.
  3. Circle 1.
  4. Write its first physical move, small enough to start in under two minutes.

If choosing still feels hard, try the Eisenhower matrix on your 3 starred items. For a full journal routine, see brain dump journal. Printable planners with these bins already drawn are in the Done Enough Etsy shop.

FAQ

How to do a brain dump?

Set a 5 to 10 minute timer and write everything on your mind, one item per line. Sort the lines into bins, pick 3 that matter today, circle 1, and write its first physical move.

What is a brain dump checklist?

It is a list of questions or life areas you scan during a brain dump so you don't miss anything, also called a trigger list. The trigger list on this page works as one.

What are some good prompts for journaling about mental health?

Gentle ones work best, like "What is worrying me that I can't act on today?" or "What do I need more of this week?". Prompts help you notice things; they are not a replacement for support from a professional if you are struggling.