Write everything down

[ses5909]

One of the blogs I'm a big fan of is Hello, my name is BLOG (http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/). This blog is by a guy who is truly a personal branding genius.

He wrote a good article recently about why you should write everything down (http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2007/10/is-everything-you-know-written-down.html). I know we've talking about trying to stay organized, etc., but I still have trouble and he really makes some great points. He lists some reasons why we don't write evrything down and the one I'm most guilty of is:

1. YOU DON’T WRITE STUFF DOWN…
Because you think you will remember it.

This is 100% self-delusion.10 hours ago I had the most brilliant idea for a blog post...and when I tell you it was brilliant, I was so pleased with myself that my husband asked me what I was smiling about. I was going to write the subject down in a draft post but, I was too lazy to get out of bed and i just KNEW I would remember it. 12 hours later I haven't a clue what it was...just that it was brilliant.

[jMcQuarrie]

I used to suffer from that problem too. To combat it I have several tools:

1) A Hipster PDA and a Space pen in my pocket permanently

2) A secure area on my site with a dedicated WP install where I record any ideas / thoughts / mad inventions I come up. I move things from the Hipster to the private WP for easy recall and search should I need them.

3) A backpack account that is always open in a separate browser window ready to capture "to-do" items or other notes when I'm in the office.

4) If the idea arrives while I'm in bed and I've not got my pen and note paper handy, and I'm too lazy to get up, then I throw something on the floor, or turn something on the bed side over. Basically put something completely out of place. When I then look at it next I instantly remember why I did it. Sounds silly, but it works.

[Dan Schulz]

And why didn't you really write it down?

[ses5909]

^pure laziness

[deronsizemore]

Definitely agree. I recently put a pen and pad in my vehicle for this matter. I can have iGoogle open in a moments notice too for any ideas I've got while I'm online (using Google Notebook to record them).

It actually happened to me this morning. I had a good idea for a post and had forgot it 10 minutes later.

Funny how the mind works.

[dojo]

Oh my God I have the same problem. Now I just write down the title in drafts and be able to not lose good ideas anymore. Horribly frustrating :(

[shyflower]

When I was heavy into writing poetry, I kept a journal at my side day and night to capture phrases that I might build on later. It's something I've gotten away from in writing web content, but it sure would help with that as well as blog posts. In fact, I even wrote a poem (http://shyrhymes.com/category/poetry/on-waking/) about the problem.

So... at the top of my todo list... buy a note book.

[Jessi]

And my problem is that I *do* write everything down, lol. I guess part of it comes from being a writer and I'm constantly jotting down notes of ideas or things I want to remember to do, look up, write about, consider, ask someone, etc.. Last year, I went through a huge post-it note phase and my desk was literally covered in tons of notes with 'lists' on them. Every couple days, I'd go through, mark off things I'd done, and then start new post-it notes with the leftovers, lol.

This was on top of all the other notes I kept jotted on top of school notes, work notes, walking-down-the-street notes, planner notes. It was ridiculous, but by golly, I didn't forget anything, lol. I just became overwhelmed with a constant stream of things I didn't want to forget.

Now, I still write pretty much everything down. I've kept pen and paper by my side since I was young, so I still make sure I always have them with me and I feel naked if I don't. 95% of my "notes" now get jotted down in my planner, though, day by day. They can get sloppy at times, because frankly, I'm all about scribbling it across the top of the paper or diagonally across an entire day's box than writing it neatly (can't be bothered to take the time to do that, ha)......but it keeps me happy. I still have a notes from months ago that I may never have finished, but the ideas are still there and sometimes, I go back through and pick up on those unfinished thoughts, whether it's a blog idea, something I want to post online, a question for my mother, or something I want to remember for when I have kids. :)

/end long rambling

/makes note to not babble so much on TBE yet :'"

[ses5909]

my desk is covered in post it notes that I have no idea what they mean :p

and babble away Jessi. I think you'll catch us all doing it at some point!

[Bob!]

I have a notebook that I thought would be good for this, sadly I keep forgetting to lift it when I go out :(

[tater03]

I am forever writing things down. I make lists of things I think of that need done or I want to do and check them off as I go along. If I didn't do this a ton of stuff would not get done.

[davemcnally]

This happened to me the other day! I have since invested in a notebook for when I'm not near my laptop. It's been buggin' me ever since though, I'm sure by the time it randomly pops back into my head, the topic will be outdated!

[katharina]

10 hours ago I had the most brilliant idea for a blog post...and when I tell you it was brilliant, I was so pleased with myself that my husband asked me what I was smiling about. I was going to write the subject down in a draft post but, I was too lazy to get out of bed and i just KNEW I would remember it. 12 hours later I haven't a clue what it was...just that it was brilliant.

I have done this SO many times! Sometimes I keep a paper and pen beside the bed for writing ideas and on rare occasions I can actually read what I scribbled at 2 a.m. :-?

[katharina]

I still have a notes from months ago that I may never have finished, but the ideas are still there and sometimes, I go back through and pick up on those unfinished thoughts, whether it's a blog idea, something I want to post online, a question for my mother, or something I want to remember for when I have kids. :)


I have notebooks with scribbles like this from years ago... and I have computer files that are HUGE with the same kind of "idea notes" for my writing. Maybe someday I'll actually pull a few of them out to work on! :rockon:

[tater03]

My husband laughs at me because when I am watching the news and something catches my attention I will write it down so I remember to write about it.

[adalante]

Yea, i had the same problem too, but instead of writing it down on a piece of paper and cluttering my desktop area i decided to use Collaborative writing software online with Writeboard. Write, share, revise, compare. (http://www.writeboard.com/)

[pbradish]

I wrote a small blog entry about this back in August (http://www.epursuit.net/blog/write-this-down/).

I write everything down when it pertains to business. Every night I *usually* write a schedule for the next day. This seems to work pretty well and keeps me on track, even when I have clients pulling my attention other directions.

[berlinlife06]

I used to write things down, but the problem is that I am not very consistent with my notes... I forget and when I write it, then I see it and don't like it. I used to have a notebook by my bed, to write ideas that came to mind at night... Most of them were like bats: great at night but terrible at daylight.

[Jessi]

and babble away Jessi. I think you'll catch us all doing it at some point!

You'll regret giving me permission to do that. I'll end up flooding your forums with nonsensical babble.

Wait. I already have. http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q279/quirkyjessi/lurk-1.gif

^ Speaking of which, you need that smiley....

[katharina]

Yea, i had the same problem too, but instead of writing it down on a piece of paper and cluttering my desktop area i decided to use Collaborative writing software online with Writeboard. Write, share, revise, compare. (http://www.writeboard.com/)

I've heard of this but haven't used it yet. I'm constantly using the computer
for my work, but when it comes to notes, I highly prefer hand written notes
on paper to computer notes when I may or may not ever bother pulling up
the file again. :'"

[Wierdo]

I try to make sure I always have a pad with me. I have a diary in my work bag and a small notepad in my going-out bag for ideas/drunken ramblings! If all else fails, I write ideas on my phone. SO many memos with random things in them and not quite sure if they were meant to be a blog or a song!

[chrispian]

I used to suffer from that problem too. To combat it I have several tools:

1) A Hipster PDA and a Space pen in my pocket permanently

2) A secure area on my site with a dedicated WP install where I record any ideas / thoughts / mad inventions I come up. I move things from the Hipster to the private WP for easy recall and search should I need them.

3) A backpack account that is always open in a separate browser window ready to capture "to-do" items or other notes when I'm in the office.

4) If the idea arrives while I'm in bed and I've not got my pen and note paper handy, and I'm too lazy to get up, then I throw something on the floor, or turn something on the bed side over. Basically put something completely out of place. When I then look at it next I instantly remember why I did it. Sounds silly, but it works.


I work a lot like you do. I carry some loose index cards instead of the hipster and I carry them inside a moleskine caheir notebook and I don't know how people live without it. I wrote my own to-do app and it's my homepage. I use the paper to capture ideas and I store them in a private WP install as well. Glad to see other people using it for the same thing! It's perfect. Tags + Categories + Search.