How to Park your Thoughts
Does your brain have a special “night mode” that is completely different from your “day mode”?
During the day, we are logical. We can prioritize. We can say, “I’ll deal with that later.”
But at 3am? The logic filter turns off. Suddenly, everything feels urgent.
- Did I reply to that email in the right tone?
- I need to buy dog food.
- What if the car breaks down next month?
- Why did I say that embarrassing thing years ago?
It’s like a noisy committee meeting is happening in your head, and everyone is shouting at once.
The Strategy: The “Parking Lot” Method
You cannot force your brain to stop thinking. The more you try to suppress a thought (“Don’t think about the budget!”), the louder it gets.
Instead, we are going to acknowledge the thoughts, but we aren’t going to work on them. We are going to park them.
Your Action Point:
Grab your journal (or a scrap of paper) and your pen. Turn on a soft light.
- Draw a box on the page.
- Label it: “The Parking Lot. To Be Dealt With After Coffee.”
- The Dump: Every time a worry pops up, write it inside the box.
My Example (From last Tuesday night):
The Parking lot
- Need to renew car license disc.
- My car is making a funny noise – it truly is.
- All the work stuff
Why this works: Your brain is keeping you awake because it is afraid you will forget these “dangers.” By writing them down, you are telling your brain: “I have recorded this. It is safe. We can let go now.”
Your 3am Prompt
Once you have filled your parking lot, close the journal and whisper this permission slip to yourself: “I have captured the worry. The night is for resting; the morning is for solving.”
With grace, Debbera
