We have talked several times about calendars and to-do lists. Today will build on that by emphasizing the how important it is to capture information onto your tools to save your mental real estate.

We know this. Only so many facts can tumble around on our front burner before some start disappearing. If we are brutally honest, it’s a pretty small number of facts.

If the reminder is important enough to think about, it’s important enough to put in a safe place, ready when needed. The sooner that happens, the more space there is to fully address the present moment or think about other important things. You can work out what tool works best for you, whether it be an app on your phone or a notepad on the counter. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but it’s crucial to have something!

Now, this will only work if the place you put your thoughts is accessible. If you use 20 sticky notes scattered all over, you will not be able to find most of them when you need to review your thoughts. You need one place* to capture items.

*This may mean one place for work projects and one calendar for home and one notebook for schoolwork, but be careful not to split out too much.

It is vitally important to both write down and look over your tasks and plans. You need both to make things work. If you write it down and forget forever, that was getting rid of the thought not keeping it safe. If you review your plans, on a daily or weekly basis — as needed for the topics, you will stay on top of your goals and responsibilities without having to constantly rehearse every detail in your mind all day long.