Brain dump: the act or an instance of comprehensively and uncritically expressing and recording one's thoughts and ideas (as on a particular topic)
Brain dumping (or brain storming) is one of my all-time favorite creative exercises. Basically, it's making a giant list of everything that's going on in your mind at the time, and can be used for all sorts of purposes. It's a wonderful way to sort out your thoughts, clear your mind, and spark new ideas.
I often use it when I start to feel overwhelmed by my work. There's something so calming about emptying my mind of all of the chaotic thoughts tossing around, and getting them down onto paper where I can see them, organize them, and make a plan for how to move forward. It's like I'm de-cluttering my brain!
I also use it when I'm feeling a little creatively blocked, to help the ideas start flowing again, especially when I have some kind of prompt! If there's a particular topic I'm looking at, I'll...