If you're one of the very, very few people who listen to this podcast, you've heard me talk about 'cards', 'hands', and my 'Do Deck'.
This is what I'm talking about.
A low-tech, modular, customizable information storage and retrieval system, with multiple ways to be used at any given time.
This is one of the ways I've learned to externalize my working memory. (Working memory is like a desk in your brain. You're aware of whatever's spread out on the desk, but some people have very small desks, and lots of dusty corners to accidentally knock things off into.)
There's a thing I need to put effort and/or focus into, but not at this exact moment? Write it down on a card and tuck in into the right spot, for a future hand.
There's a thing I need to do every week? Make a card for it, color-code it to match the rest of the once-a-week cards, pencil in a preferred day of the week in the lower corner, and tuck it into the spot for that day's base hand.
There are things I want to work on soonish? Make a display of the cards for them and put it in the area where I put my Do Deck hand together each morning.
There's a thing I need to do, and I have the time and energy to do it today? Grab the card for it and put it into my hand for the day.
Instead of having to remember umpteen things across days and weeks and months, I only have to remember to check and update my Do Deck throughout each day.
Want to hear me talk about how I use my Do Deck, my ReCalendar, and other ways I manage my limited focus to get things done? Check out Black Box Recordings, by InMyOwnWorld on your favorite podcatcher. Or, find it here.