Back to Basics: Capture Your Ideas
Does this sound familiar? You’re slowly drifting off to sleep when you come up with a great line for the song or paper you’ve been working on all day. It’s such a great idea, in fact, that you just know you’ll remember it in the morning. Happy to have finally come up with the perfect line, you nod off, smiling and peaceful.
In the morning, of course, it’s gone. All that you remember is that there’s something you should remember.
Or you’re talking to a business associate on the phone, when you remember that tomorrow is your nephew’s/sister-in-law’s/best friend’s birthday and you need to stop and pick them up a card on your way home. Filing that thought away under “to do later” you finish your call, leave work, and drive home, all the time thinking “isn’t there something I was supposed to do today…?”
Ideas are cheap, memory is expensive
We humans are exceptionally good at thinking up stuff. Sit down for two minutes with a pad of paper and try to come up with all the things you can make out of an orange, and you’ll see – after the first couple easy ones, you’ll start thinking up all sorts of crazy stuff (somebody actually thought up the idea of sticking cloves in an orange and hanging it on a Christmas tree, after all).
But we’re not very good at remembering all those ideas. Psychologists say we can hold from 5 to 9 thoughts in our immediate memory at any given time, meaning that, on average, the last 7 things you’ve thought are all you get. Add #8 to the list, and something falls out.
Our long-term memory is much better, but the process of moving items from short-term to long-term memory is quite complex and isn’t really “on-demand” – as anyone who has struggled to master organic chemistry can attest.
So, we have lots and lots of ideas and only a limited memory to hold them in before we lose them.
Capture everything
The solution is to develop the habit of capturing everything important that crosses your mind, when it crosses your mind. Ideally, you would settle on a single point of capture, something that you can keep with you all the time and always rely on.
Many people prefer a high-quality pocket notebook for this, a Moleskine or one of the increasingly available (and cheaper) knock-offs. These notebooks have rigid covers, often vinyl- or even leather-covered, with a decent-quality paper (so ink doesn’t bleed through easily) and a pocket in the back (which I have never used, but it’s nice to know it’s there…). Most have an elastic band to hold them closed and a fabric bookmark bound in with the pages.
These features offer a number of benefits over the drug-store standard 69-cent spiral notebook:
- They’re pretty rugged, which means they stand up well to back pocket carrying and purse clutter.
- Pages don’t easily rip out.
- Their rigidity makes them easy to write on in your hand or on your lap.
- They look professional, making it more likely you’ll take it out and use it in working environments.
- There are no wires to catch on anything.
- The bookmark helps you easily find a new blank page to write on.
- People seem to enjoy using them.
But you don’t have to spend $7-10 US on a notebook; plenty of people manage just fine with the already-mentioned wire-bound pocket notebook. Or you can use a stack of index cards, bound with a binder clip (the famous hipster pda). Or a pad of post-its, or a composition book, or a journal, or your dayplanner, or anything else as long as a) it’s easy and comfortable for you to use, and b) you’ll keep it with you everywhere.
There are digital solutions, too. If you’re very comfortable with your cell phone, you might Jott everything to yourself – leave a voicemail that will be transcribed and forwarded to your email inbox (or to Evernote if you’re using it). Or leave a message on your home answering machine. Or email notes to yourself, or SMS them. Again, the only criteria is that you’ll actually use whatever system you set up, regardless of circumstances.
OK, it’s captured. Now what?
Your capture device is a kind of inbox, so treat it as an inbox – that is, get in the habit of reviewing and processing everything on a regular basis (probably at the same time you process your desk-bound inbox). The ideas you capture do no more good locked away in your notebook than they do forgotten in the flow of a conversation or in the aftermath of a good night’s sleep.
Remember that the space you use for capture is not long-term reference storage. While you might jot down a couple of things you know you’ll need later in the day, you still need to have a trustworthy system for archiving and using the information you collect over the course of the day.
So process the phone numbers, addresses, names, and URLs you collect into your PIM (personal information manager, e.g. Outlook, Palm Desktop, Lotus Notes). Add the tasks you remembered or thought up over the course of the day to your todo list. Ideas for projects you’re working on can go into your project files.
The random ideas you have and want to hold onto present a special problem. I add these to my todo list, under the category “Think About” and keep them sorted to the bottom. (I use Toodledo; since my most common way of sorting my list is by date, I just don’t put dates on Think About items which keeps them safely out of my way in day-to-day use.) Every now and again – during a weekly review, for instance – I’ll check out the Think About items and see if there’s anything I’m ready to act on.
Trust the system
Get into the habit of always capturing and processing ideas as they occur to you. If you can’t trust yourself to do this, you’ll always worry that there’s something escaping your mind. If you’re not capturing and processing your thoughts, then there probably is something escaping your mind – lots of somethings, marching like lemmings over the cliff and into eternity! By getting used to using your system, you’ll find a lot of that stress is released, and you can focus on stressing out about more important stuff, like does Bob in marketing like you or like like you?
I’m curious about what other people use to capture their ideas – and how they handle the random “neat thought” problem. Let me and the rest of Lifehack’s readers know in the comments!
WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY
Dustin Wax
Dustin M. Wax is a freelance writer and project manager at Stepcase Lifehack. He is also the creator of The Writer's Technology Companion, a site devoted to the tools of the writing trade. When he's not writing, he teaches anthropology and gender studies in Las Vegas, NV. He is the author of Don't Be Stupid: A Guide to Learning, Studying, and Succeeding at College.
Follow him on Twitter: @dwax.
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Comments
Felipe Belo says on July 4th, 2008 at 10:18 am
For those who are into capturing ideas, I invite all of you to check the GTD App we will be releasing for iPhone: http://www.whattasks.com
We really hope you like it and it helps you to keep track of your ideas, the best way possible.
Benoit says on July 4th, 2008 at 10:53 am
I have dozens of notebooks to capture ideas, random thoughts, reading notes, drafts and mindmaps for articles to be posted on my blog (http://myfrencheasel.blogspot.com/). A major improvement came for me in processing my notes when I started indexing the content. I get the ideas from Tim Ferris (http://www.fourhourworkweek.co.....challenge/“How to Take Notes Like an Alpha-Geek”).
Rosh says on July 4th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Lately, I’ve been using http://www.jott.com.
When I’m on the road I often hear something on the radio or a great though pops into my head. I have jott on speed dial. #9. I leave a message and it emails me my thought.
I even have it set up to email other people I work with and my family members too.
If find it better then voicemail because my voicemails get lost or buried. But, with one keyword all my old thoughts pop-up on my email when I’m looking for ideas.
Even better, it’s free.
Just a thought,
Rosh
http://www.newmediaphotographer.com
David says on July 4th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I use the notes section of my mobile phone – it goes with me everywhere, even in bed.
Tracy Cooper-Posey says on July 4th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
I really like my Palm Pilot for when I’m everywhere but at my desk at home or at the office. I have a fold-up keyboard for writing longer notes, when I need to.
At the office I use an always-installed USB memory stick, with a Microsoft Briefcase installed on it that syncs to my computer at home. There’s a permanent “to be filed” directory inside the Briefcase, and during the day at the office, as I think of things, I’ll use whatever I need to to capture the idea. Often that’s a Word file to dump thoughts into, that gets saved to the directory. Sometimes it’s a Outlook Task or Contact or Appointment that is created in my office Outlook and dragged to the “to be filed” directory (and deleted from the office computer if necessary).
Once I’m home, I synch the memory stick and the Palm pilot, then sort everything out in the “to be filed” directory — the aim is to empty it each evening.
I know some people use on-line documents and bookmarking sites, and on-line office suites, but I can’t access those sites from my day job computer as the IT department has severely limited filters on any site they consider frivilous or inappropriate.
Joe Darden says on July 4th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I use a combination of the taditional notebook (mead composition book) for open ended brainstorm writing. For ideas and stuff that hits me in the middle of the day I use a great application on my BoackBerry that allows me to organize and cross reference categories. It is called IdeaMatrix by a company named RexWireless. It also backs it up automatically to the web so if I loose my BB or I am working from my PC, all of my ideas are right there.
Great Article. Thanks.
RobR says on July 4th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
While I am more of the hipster PDA type myself (actually I use the small pocket sized wire bound notebooks), I know of several people that use TraqMonkey for this. You call it on your cell, it records what you say, and you get the recording and transcription in your email. Especially good for driving if you have one of those bluetooth things — you can also SMS it, and the text goes to your email, but that’s not as quick as writing a note.
But the best thing about it is that you can schedule a reminder after recording — tell it to call you back in three hours and play back what you just said. Sometimes handling stuff the next day in your email inbox just isn’t good enough, you basically need an instantly settable alarm clock to make it through some days.
TexasEx94 says on July 5th, 2008 at 2:06 am
I have a Blackberry that I carry wherever I go. Unfortunately I’m not able to use it on my network at work. My employer provides me with a TabletPC and I use Outlook to organize all my appointments, tasks, etc. When something pops into my head and I don’t have the Tablet, I just email myself and process whenever I get back online.
1-Ghost says on July 5th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I use my palm treo when i’m out and about or even in bed – it sits next to me on the night stand. During meetings, if I have my computer I use tiddlywiki to type up meeting notes. If I don’t have my laptop or if I need to draw something out, I use a large grid notebook. The grids are great for helping structure drawings.
Evert de Ruiter says on July 5th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Man, I must get a moleskin :( but I’m a kind of broke :(
LivSimpl says on July 5th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I’m a Moleskine fan myself. I picked up one of the new soft cover pocket notebooks – more flexible in your back pocket. I moved my driver license and debit card into the back pocket and now I use it as my wallet so I don’t have two things to carry around. Works wonderfully.
The only thing I struggle with is remembering to go back and check/process everything I write in it. Suggestions?
http://livsimpl.com
Jaq says on July 7th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I am also guilty of this. And I have learned my lesson. I now carry a notebook and pen with me all the time so that when inspiration hits, it will be documented.
And when I’m documenting the idea, I talk to myself about it. This keeps my mind from wandering because I’ve seen another idea. It keeps me focused and alert.
Summer Fey Foovay says on July 7th, 2008 at 10:42 am
I’m a notebook person myself. On the computer I use the “sticky note” app on my Igoogle page for a daily list. For the “think about” things – and I have a lot of them – I have a “backburner” folder on my desktop. Story ideas, website ideas, etc. get put in there. On uninspired days I go through the backburner notes.
Jake says on July 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I’ve always been a highly unorganized person, but I do believe that the 3G iPhone that I will own this coming Friday will help make a difference. The photo options, and the notepad options seem like they will make life a little easier. Beyond that, I use NoteScribe to save all of my work information (but I’m biased, because that is the program that my company sells!). Either way, it’s a good note taking program.
Jake
NoteScribe: Premier Note Taking Software
Ann at One Bag Nation says on July 7th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I struggle with this! My life is kind of chopped up into so many roles, so I’m always trying to capture ideas by roles; otherwise my notes are a big mish mash of unrelated info.
I have a notebook in the car, index cards in the kitchen and on my desk, a spiral notebook for my blog (and each of my two part-time jobs) – yikes! and I still feel I need something upstairs . . .
kyle says on July 7th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I’ve been trying to decide between the small pocket-sized Moleskine “Journal” notebooks, and a basic “Hipster PDA” bunch of notecards clipped together. I carry a Palm Treo, but I like to record thoughts on paper when I can (and use Jott when I can’t). Last week I was in OfficeMax looking for cheap Moleskine knock-offs (and not finding any), and I stumbled upon the Oxford At Hand Note Card Case. It’s a little leather-like pouch with outside flaps to hold 3×5 cards, and as a bonus it comes with 25 vertically ruled index cards. With 10-12 cards inside, it’s almost exactly the same size and thickness as the Moleskine Journal, and much more economical to refill. And the ouside cards don’t get all bent up and wrinkled like with the Hipster clip solution.
I usually carry a few standard ruled index cards, a couple of grid cards, and now 2-3 vertically ruled cards as well. I think I’ve found my solution.
I couldn’t find them on the OfficeMax website, but they are on the Office Depot website:
http://tinyurl.com/6qg3fx
Kyle
Daniel says on July 12th, 2008 at 2:48 am
I recently purchased a Moleskine pocket book (the one with graph paper inside), and its been working out really well for me. I use the first half of it as a schedule, one week on every page. This allows me to jot down my notes by the day, I also use this as a place to store my daily goals. I use the second half for general note taking, ideas, sketches, and website layouts (I’m a web designer by trade).
But anyways, it’s been working out great for me!
pukha lenee-bluhm says on July 22nd, 2008 at 9:50 am
keeping a few 3×5 cards or a small notebook in the back pocket is easy enough… but i don’t believe that keeping a pen in my back pocket is a good idea.
as i don’t commonly wear shirts with pockets, i am actively searching for good ideas on how to keep the necessary writing implement at hand, while still keeping my hands free. any ideas???
Dustin Wax says on July 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Pukha: I don’t use one, but the Fisher Space Pen is tiny and closes completely (so no ink links). And they’re made of metal, so strong enough for a back pocket. Or there are “wallet pens”, tiny pens for in a wallet or pocketbook. Or there are also pens that are made as necklace pendants — some really nice ones, too.
akilli says on August 16th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Please people, record no more of your purposeful thoughts; the world cannot become any more a paradise than it is, without bursting!