Brain Dump To-Do List Template
A two-step approach: dump every task out of your head first without prioritizing, then turn that raw list into something you can actually work from.
The template
Every task, in any order
- List everything you need to do, work and personal mixed together, exactly as it comes to mind
- Don't rank, group, or prioritize yet, just get the full list out
Must happen today
- Pull only what genuinely has to happen today, aim for 3 or fewer
Should happen this week
- Everything else that's time-sensitive but not today
No real deadline
- Tasks that matter eventually but have no actual due date, they don't need to compete for today's attention
How to use it in BrainDump
Fill in the first section completely before touching the others; mixing dumping and prioritizing at the same time is what makes to-do lists overwhelming
Be strict about the "must happen today" limit, a list of three feels achievable, a list of twelve rarely gets finished
Move anything left over at the end of the day into tomorrow's "must happen today" or back into "this week", don't just leave it hanging
Start a fresh note each morning in BrainDump rather than endlessly editing one long-running list that never empties out
FAQ
Doing both at once means every new task competes for a priority ranking the moment it's written down, which is exhausting and slows down the capture step. Splitting them makes each step faster.
That's usually a sign the list needs a second pass. Ask which 3 items would matter most if nothing else got done today, that's the real "must happen" list.
Skip the setup
Paste this template into BrainDump and start filling it in right away, no folders or formatting to set up first.
Download App
