Image by common_wild

A mom’s mind rarely has clear spaces. Our heads are filled with thoughts, reminders, questions and ideas from the time we open our eyes in the morning. Some of us struggle to shut off this mental noise in the night too, getting up to check if the back door was closed after letting the dog in, or wondering if a bill is overdue.   

This mental load, relating to home and family, is mostly borne by women. Because it’s cognitive and emotional labor, done in the mind and with the heart, it’s also invisible. 

As we know very well, it’s not just about making lists, or doing the work. These are the last two steps in a long line that starts with anticipating what has to be done, reviewing options for it, choosing one,  then doing them. And this process repeats for everything from groceries, vacation planning, laundry, to the kids’ needs, all day, every day. Mental load means being the household manager, family scheduler and planner for needs, all rolled into one. 

We weren’t born adept multi-taskers. We don’t instinctively know when we’re going to run out of cheese, or magically manage our children’s tantrums. It’s a skill we built as we progressed into motherhood.

All of this is a lot for one person to do, particularly on a continuous basis. The relentlessness of it explains why moms are so tired all the time. Constantly trying to sort the clutter in our minds can be exhausting and overwhelming.

As moms ourselves, this feeling was what led to the Brain Dump feature in MAMMA-MIYA. We wanted to build a space for all the things jostling around in every mother’s mind, and give her the well-deserved peace of not having to hold everything in her head all the time. 

Here’s what our users have to say: 

“I love the brain dump feature. This is the only planning app I’ve ever used that includes brain dumps.”

“Being able to brain dump all of the lists in my head.”

“​​It’s easy to use, and is a great way to help/support the mental load of being the default parent.” 

“I like how I can brain dump, add my tasks for each day and be reminded of what I have planned to do for the day.”

We believe that the reason moms find the Brain Dump feature so useful is because it lowers their invisible mental load.

 

Dump your mental clutter into Brain Dump

The Brain Dump is the place to dump everything you have in your head that isn’t part of your daily schedule or routine.

You can add thoughts, ideas, lists, long pending tasks, errands, pictures and even scanned notes from your journal. 

There are days when there’s so much to do, you might feel overwhelmed. We have suggestions to help you get started. Tag each item with a Hat, and categorize it in the specific role in your life. You can also filter your Brain Dump by Hats. 

 

When you have a few minutes in the day the app will prompt you to review your Brain Dump. You can use the time to dump the floating items from your head, or to add items to your Day. This simple act of scheduling a task and then checking it off will make you feel satisfied and give you a sense of accomplishment that you’re getting things done. 

Use the Brain Dump to declutter, and enjoy a clear mind that allows you to be present and focus on the moment you’re in.