Outsource Your Working Memory
Productivity expert and author David Allen said, “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them”.
He’s right.
Your working (short-term) memory has a limited capacity—research suggests it can hold between 3 and 8 items. Unsurprisingly, when we try to cram in too much (tasks, reminders, ideas, information), we feel overwhelmed.
This is why I outsource as much of my working memory as possible:
Tasks go straight into my Todoist inbox
Appointments are quickly added to Morgen
Ideas, information, and notes go into Tana
Creative inspiration is saved in Raindrop
Things to read or watch later (during scheduled reading time), go to Readwise Reader
You don’t need to use this many tools; a small notepad can work just as well.
We’re bombarded with information every day. Trying to hold it all in your head is a recipe for stress.
Outsourcing your working memory helps reduce that stress and close open loops.
