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Let’s talk about something I am extremely familiar with: rabbit holes. You know the ones I mean—the ones that start off with a spark of inspiration, a quick Google search, or you know, just a quick, casual scroll through social media and, before you know it, you’re 43 tabs deep into a completely unrelated topic, and your to-do list is…just a distant memory.

How often do these rabbit holes take over your morning…or your workday…or your family time? How often do they keep you up into the very, very late—or early—hours of the night…or morning…whichever that is. 

Yeah, hi, that’s me. Getting lost in rabbit holes and losing the idea that got me into that mess to begin with.

But here’s the thing: falling down rabbit holes doesn’t have to mean that we lose those great ideas or the inspiration that sparked it. We just need a way to keep track of them—minus the rabbit hole—so that those brilliant ideas don’t turn into dust bunnies we forget about and never go back to.

If you’ve ever poked your head into the world of bullet journaling, you know it can get intense. Back when the girl child was born, I got sucked into a massive rabbit hole of watching reels and YouTube videos about bullet journals and how to start and use them, reading blogs about all the different spreads people create, and, of course, searching for all the right supplies. 

I spent way too much time—and money—trying to create the perfect bullet journal setup.

Bet you can’t guess what happened next? 

I found out – very unsurprisingly – that I absolutely cannot follow through on bullet journaling. I’m not an artist, at all. I don’t have the bandwidth to set up these intricate, beautiful spreads that I was seeing in these videos, and the whole thing was stressing me out more than it was helping. 

I ended up with a pile of half-used notebooks and a container of washi tape that’s still sitting in a drawer somewhere. I think…

But the thing is, I did have some really great ideas during that rabbit hole journey. I just didn’t have a good way to capture and keep track of them without getting lost in all the noise. I had no way to go back to them and really dive into what I could use them for…a use that actually worked for my brain and my strengths.

Why do we get lost in rabbit holes in the first place? 

It’s not just because we’re easily distracted—though, let’s be honest, that’s definitely part of it. 

Rabbit holes are one way for our brain to follow its curiosity. It starts with something small—a question, an idea, a picture or song or smell or conversation that triggers something in your brain—and before you know it, you’re on a grand adventure through the depths of the internet. 

And while these journeys can be fun in the moment, they can also lead to overwhelm and burnout because we’re constantly shifting our focus and never really following through on the idea we had in the first place.

Plus, when you add it all together, all these distractions can seriously impact our feelings about our productivity and begin to mess with our mental well-being. 

We end up with a million open loops in our minds, feeling scattered and exhausted. And let’s not forget the guilt that comes with realizing you just spent three hours researching something completely irrelevant to your original task… again.

So, how do we avoid getting lost in these rabbit holes without losing the creativity and curiosity that sparked them in the first place? 

Start with getting clear on what really matters to you—your core priorities at that point in time. What are the things that light you up, the things you want to focus on that day, that week, that month? 

For me, it’s about helping people embrace their inner weirdness and find systems that work for their wonderfully chaotic brains. 

So, when I find myself 12 pages deep into a Google search about, say, the history of each member of the Wiggles (yeah…I have kids), I can pause and ask myself: Is this serving today’s priorities, or is it just a distraction?

One of the best tools I’ve found for managing this is doing a “mind dump.” It’s exactly what it sounds like—taking everything that’s swirling around in your brain and getting it down on paper or in a Google doc or on a sticky note or whatever.

Here’s how it works:

1. Set a Timer: Give yourself about 10-15 minutes.
2. Write Down Everything: And I mean everything. Every task, idea, worry, random thought—get it all out.
3. No Judgment: Don’t worry about making it neat or organized. Just let it flow.

Once you’ve dumped it all out, take a deep breath. You’ve just made space in your brain. 

You can do this at the beginning of the day, at the end of the day, or randomly whenever you feel yourself being pulled towards…or even in the middle of…a rabbit hole.

Once you have everything out of your brain, it’s time to organize it all. 

There are tons of ways to do this, depending on what makes sense for you and how you track your own stuff, but here are a few that work well:

1. Buckets or categories: Divide up your ideas and thoughts into specific buckets or categories or themes, connecting related thoughts and breaking down big concepts into smaller, manageable chunks. Which buckets do your priorities fall into? What ones do your rabbit holes fall into? Do your rabbit holes tie into your priorities in anyway?
2. Journaling: If you prefer a more linear approach, jot down your thoughts in a journal. This can be a great way to track your mental journey over time. Maybe you take one idea at a time and journal about it, write down some notes of what you would want to accomplish with that thought or idea.
3. Digital Note-Taking Apps: Tools like Notion, Trello, or even a simple Google Doc can be lifesavers for capturing and organizing your ideas. You can keep notes about the thought or idea, move it around to different categories easily, and link to anything you came across during any particular rabbit hole so that you can come back to it at a later time.

The key is to find a method that works for you. Experiment with different formats and see what helps you keep track of your ideas without spiraling into another rabbit hole.

Now, let’s talk about boundaries—because without them, those rabbit holes will keep sucking you in and you’ll continue to spiral down the guilt slide of “wasting” your time. 

This isn’t just about keeping boundaries with others; it’s also about holding boundaries with yourself. It’s recognizing when you’re about to dive headfirst into a distraction and pulling yourself back before you get too deep.

Start by creating a simple action plan:

1. Identify Your Triggers: What are the things that usually lead you down a rabbit hole? Maybe it’s a certain website, or the urge to check social media every time you’re bored.
2. Set Time Limits: Give yourself a set amount of time for “research” or exploring new ideas. Use a timer if you need to.
3. Create a Reward System: Reward yourself for staying on task and making progress towards your goals. It doesn’t have to be big—just something that makes you feel good.

And remember, breaking down tasks into smaller steps can make a huge difference. The bigger the project, the bigger the overwhelm, and the easier it is to fall into distractions. Focusing on one small, manageable step at a time means you’re less likely to get lost.

At the end of the day, it’s all about finding balance. You don’t have to give up your rabbit hole adventures completely—just make sure they’re not taking over your life. Use tools like mind dumps, sorting, and boundaries to keep your ideas organized and your focus clear.

Take some time this week to reflect on what really matters to you. What are your priorities for the week? How can you align your actions with those priorities, even when distractions come around? 

And most importantly, how can you make room for your brilliant ideas without getting lost in the rabbit holes?

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