The Tab I Created by Accident (and Almost Deleted Out of Aesthetic Anxiety)
When I first set up my digital planner, I labeled every section with the kind of obsessive order you’d expect from someone who alphabetizes their Spotify playlists. Everything had a category. A system. A purpose. It was visually perfect.
So the idea of tossing random thoughts into that minimalist masterpiece? Offensive.
But something in me knew I needed a place for the mental clutter. So—half out of defiance, half out of design guilt—I made a tab called “Random Thoughts.”
At the time, I thought: “This is where unstructured chaos goes to die.”
Now I know: it’s where my best ideas actually begin.
What Goes In There? Everything That Doesn’t Fit Anywhere Else
At first, I thought it would be a list of silly reminders or loose to-do’s. You know: “reschedule dentist,” “refill oat milk,” “why do my AirPods hate me?”
But what emerged was more personal—and honestly more useful.
It wasn’t just tasks. It was messy thoughts born out of overwhelm. Questions I didn’t have answers to yet. Mental spirals. Frustrations. Half-sketched ideas.
Sometimes it read like a planner.
Other times? Like a therapy session on mute.
The Day It Became Essential
One particularly chaotic week, I was overwhelmed with a work project and unsure how to structure my expanding team. I opened the “Random Thoughts” tab and dumped every issue, concern, and possibility into one long, disorganized mess.
Then I walked away.
When I came back 24 hours later, buried in the mental debris was the clearest solution I’d seen all week. It wasn’t neat. It wasn’t bullet-pointed. But it was exactly what I needed.
This has happened more than once—while planning launches, reworking timelines, or navigating tricky roles in my startup. My best solutions come from the page I almost deleted for “ruining the aesthetic.”
Why Brain Dumps Aren’t a Waste of Time (They’re a Power Move)
Here’s the thing: most people don’t brain dump because it feels unproductive. It’s not organized. It doesn’t give the instant satisfaction of a completed task or clean layout.
But that’s the trick.
Brain dumping isn’t about finishing something—it’s about making space so you can actually start.
My “Random Thoughts” tab gives my brain permission to be chaotic without judgment. No formatting. No expectation. Just relief. And clarity, eventually.
It’s the one part of my planning process that’s completely unfiltered—and somehow, it’s the one I trust the most.
My Brain Dump Kit (aka Chaos With a Purpose)
- “Random Thoughts” Tab: Lives in every digital planner setup I use
- No Structure Rule: If I try to format it, it loses magic
- Used Ad Hoc: I don’t force it—just go there when my brain feels full
- Weekly Glance Back: I’ll skim and highlight anything worth exploring
- No Deleting: Even the weird stuff. Especially the weird stuff.
Your Turn
Be honest: where do your random thoughts go?
If you don’t have a place yet, make one. Today. Name it something ridiculous. Write something totally unfiltered. Don’t edit it. Just get it out.
You might find, like I did, that your smartest ideas are hiding underneath your most chaotic thoughts.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever written down that ended up being helpful?
Tell me in the comments—or DM me @myminimalistplanner. I promise, I’ve written stranger.