Try Leaving Sticky Note Pads All Over Your Place to Retain Ideas
By: Tremaine Eto
Tags: Creativity, Entrepreneurship, Life Lessons, Life Hacking, Productivity

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

If you’re like me, you think about so many different things every day that it can sometimes be overwhelming.

Maybe it’s natural for your brain to essentially file something away only for it to bring it to recall later; this often makes you think, “I wish I remembered that earlier!”

I wanted to share a practice that has actually improved my life in terms of bringing my ideas more into the tangible: leaving Post-It (aka sticky note) pads everywhere.

What do you mean by that?

The idea seems so simple, and that’s because it is — and yet, I’m surprised it took me this long to think about it.

A very common sight I’ve seen — and I’m sure we’ve all seen — is a pad of sticky notes at someone’s desk, perhaps next to their phone. Often, a computer is right there as well.

But why stop at the desk?

I put a pad on my dining room table.

I saw the black pepper container close by and decided it would make clear this is my dining table.

I put a pad on my coffee table.

A coffee mug is in the shot to also signify that this is the coffee table. Subtle.

I put a pad on my kitchen counter.

When you throw in your food, jot down your ideas!

I put a pad on the nightstand next to my bed.

I’ve definitely written some dreams down.

Honestly, you can go on and on. I realize that this may seem like clutter for more minimalist-oriented minds, but I would advise to:

limit it to one pad per location

respect those you live with by seeing if this idea is even okay with them

draw the line somewhere — for me, that’s no sticky notes in the bathroom, for instance

Why?

A lot of us keep our notes in the cloud — and thus in our reach seemingly at all times. It’s a decidedly 21st-century solution that seems smart, and again, honestly, that’s because it is.

However, I’ve found it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and that’s why I went back to the ol’ reliable sticky note.

I found that writing notes on my computer (whether that’s Google Keep or Apple’s Notes or some other app) is convenient, but I find that I simply don’t often check back on it. What I mean is that I choose exactly when I check back, and so I had to already sort of had to think about the general idea when I go back.

I’ll give an example: maybe my note is something as simple as “order more dish soap online.” I’m not going to really read that note again unless (1) I go into the app to specifically read my notes; (2) I go into the app to write a different note, and I happen to see the note; (3) I remember that I had a note to buy something, so I check the note — but I had already gotten the reminder in my head to buy something.

What I’m getting at is that there’s a trigger in front of the original note that has to be pushed, and I’ve found that it’s gotten things to just generally get lost in the ether.

With a sticky note in my face at some of my most visited spots, I really can’t avoid the things I write down. I have to keep looking at them, and that lets them seep in better just to the pure volume of times I see them.

There’s something very cathartic about writing down a thought on physical paper, and it’s even more soothing to crumple up the Post-It and throw it away after you determined you don’t need it anymore. Be honest, cloud note-takers: do you actually delete old notes you don’t need? You know, maybe the grocery lists or the checklist of shows that wanted to watch before and have now binged twice through?

The last point I’ll add is that sticky notes are really isolated whereas cloud notes are gateways to temptation. What I mean by that is not as nefarious as it sounds, but quite simply whenever you pick up your phone or tablet or rush to your laptop to take notes, you’re inevitably making Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, news apps, websites, and messaging apps just clicks away.

Your 21st century solution then becomes your 21st century problem.

For me personally, when I write down my thoughts (and later read them) on sticky notes, I stay more in the inquisitive and motivated mood. When I write them down (and maybe later read them) in the notes apps, I’ll very quickly after check the news or something and get distracted.

By no means am I saying that you have to do this or even if this is a good idea. As my title says, though, consider it. Consider it if you’ve been having trouble following through with your ideas.

And if you do — just like me — you might find some sort of improvement in your thought retention. And if someone in your home asks you, “Why are there Post-Its in the refrigerator?”, then — just like me — you can link them to this article.