Ask HN: What are your 'mental hacks' to remember small tasks?
How are you managing little tasks that pop up in meetings, slack messages, and other conversations that are important, but not necessarily a priority?
https://mastodon.social/@UP8/111275639588948846
Nothing electronic because of problems with object constancy: I am already looking at a screen and don't want to lose what I am looking at, have to navigate through lots of tabs and icons to find my note taking application, then navigate through lots of tabs and icons to get back where I was.
The next morning wonder why you have fire extinguisher dust everywhere and you'll remember!
First Alert even makes a handy portable fire extinguisher that's perfect for your bedstand: https://www.firstalert.com/us/en/products/fire-extinguishers...
But I just follow one simple rule. Don't even try to remember anything critical, put all information in Google Keep, or paper if I want to appear professional or not break theming and atmosphere by being seen with a phone.
If it's time based I set calendar reminders.
The only time I don't use tech is when the cost of failure is relatively low, otherwise... I've screwed myself over way too many times by not setting reminders.
Remember it in your brain: It's like let the state occupying one of the 16 registers in your brain. Later it will automatically offloads in the hard disk in your brain but there's a chance it gets lost or cannot be recalled reliably. Not recommend. But I do this more recently because I realised I don't have to do everything.
The stateless approach: Do it immediately so you don't need to bear the state/variable. Even though sometime it disrupts my current tasks, I find this approach is surprisingly relieving - less debts. Just like software engineering - minimise states because they're evil.
External storage approach: Write it down on paper or an app. There are trade offs between the tool you're using, but the key is to minimise the cost of your moves.
For pen and paper I tried different configurations until I can always comfortably carry them in my pocket.
For digital approaches I'm currently shovel things to Linear. Make sure you're fluent with shortcuts so you can create tasks and jump around like a breeze. I also use Arc browser and pin it in the third slot so I can jump to Linear with <Cmd-3> without even thinking about it.
Generally, I have one "backlog" list and one "current" list. Whenever a task comes up, I make a small box ("⃞") and a description in one of the lists. I fill in the box when a task is done ("■"). Every 1-3 days I start a new current todo list by striking through remaining items off the old one and writing them in priority order in a new list, writing them in backlog, or deciding they don't need to be done, ever ("⊠"), or delegate to someone (strike through with an arrowhead and note about the name). Every week or so I do the same thing with the backlog list. I always write the date at the top of the page when I start a new list, and very rarely note dates for starting/finishing tasks.
I see a few benefits with a notebook system. 1) It takes some effort to rewrite tasks so it also encourages me to just do 5 or so low-effort tasks for 20 minutes instead of re-writing them. 2) If I need to focus on some particular tasks, I can make a priority list in a very deliberate order, finish it and then go back to my current list. 3) I can look back at my old lists and see patterns in struck-through vs checked-done vs X-d tasks vs delegated tasks
I also take notes (for meetings etc) in the notebook, and when needed for work, rewrite them in confluence or whatever. At the top right corner of pages which need an online version, I draw "⧄", and I fill it in as "◩" when it's actually online. It's saved my ass a few times to use my notebook to say "well we met on x date, and I put the notes online with you tagged so you should know this" or "I see here that I marked this task as done, and thinking back I sent you a message about it". It's way faster and more credible in the moment than opening your laptop and searching n number of services for communication.
Every page or section (in a page) has checkboxes for the notes or a way to tick it off as done. I keep checking them off when I’m done reviewing them or if they are transferred digitally or “consumed” with meaning and context. Sometimes, a page lingers longer (working on it), and I need to return to it a few times; I use commonly available tiny stickies that stick a tad out of the page.
So, my finished notebook will not just have notes and sketches but will always have a tick (done mark) at the top of the pages and no stickies sticking out.
I’ve also found that if I need to remember anything in the next minutes or hours, I set a timer[1] on my watch. Instead of taxing my brain to remember something, it is easier to jolt back when the timer kicks in.
For personal stuff, I use a similar local file for longer term things and Google Keep for short term, transient things (i.e., grocery lists, packing lists and prep for travel).
For individual tasks (buy milk, empty washing machine, etc.) I use visual queue. Laundry room door open = washer/dryer. Post-it notes on the door, so before I exit I remember to take X thing with me. Also shopping list goes on post-it and at door.
Because I am getting old and stupid, I also stick a post-it the 'previous night' on what I plan to have tomorrow for lunch (e.g. 'steak, 2 eggs, 2 carrots'). I usually plan my day the previous night, so I plan stuff, spread out post-it notes and I don't have to 'think' the next day.
For awhile I was chucking notes into Obsidian but now I'm in the process of transferring it all of my phone to text files on my laptop and using paper more again. The shine is off Obsidian; takes too long to load, and the Find action is too out of reach. I like the act of writing by hand, anyway.
In that case, i find that really only the Apple reminders app makes remotely sense.
Apple does not allow any other todo app to have meaningful integration with os features like siri. For instance, i add stuff to named lists with voice commands or text inputs from any device like watch, phone etc in a second. Remind me to buy X, add y ti that list, remind me tomorrow at x to do y, do i have z on my list h… stuff like that works.
By contrast, no other application is allowed such direct access and hence, by comparison, sucks by a mile. You always have ti use extra short cuts or open the app, or use special weird commands in siri. Half the time, tasks still end up on Reminders. So yeah
Reminders isn’t exactly the best todo app, but then again adding new items is really easy and it is simple. So i use it
I learned that if i forget something it doesn't really matter - if it's important it will resurface and if it won't then it was not important enough.
[0] https://github.com/todotxt/todo.txt-cli/wiki/User-Documentat...
Avoid paper
Only use app you use on a daily based. Go back and consolidate them to at EOD.
I have workflow in Alfred that copies the selected text into a ‘notes’ list in Reminders, which is linked to a keyboard shortcut, which is assigned to a spare button on my mouse. At the end of some research task I’ll consolidate it all, and add tags etc.
I spend way too much time stuffing around with similar hacks in obsidian.
For personal, it goes into my Apple Reminders app.
I put in as much or as little information as I care to, at that moment.
I make it a point to look at both every day, and adjust items as necessary.
I do keep a pen and notepad on my nightstand, but my phone's also there, so I almost never end up using the notepad.
This way I can add a bit more conditional logic before sending myself a notification.
I glued some cardboard on the back of the block. More durable.
I like that I can have multiple tabs and I just organize tasks by priority. Then I don't delete them when I'm done but I offload them to the bottom of the file. That's really helpful when I'm trying to remember something I did a long time ago.