- you need a trusted system to which you can offload “open loops” so your mind is able to focus instead of remember.
- open loops can refer to anything that has captured your attention: tasks, decisions, commitments, obligations; interests, questions, daydreams; repairs, appointments, phone calls, errands; goals, wishes, plans, wants.
- we alleviate tension in our minds by externally capturing these loops somewhere besides our brains, and by closing the loops either by taking some action or explicitly deciding not to take action.
- open loops are either immediately actionable or not immediately actionable.
- items that aren’t actionable at all might be saved as information to use later.
- items that are actionable but not important, practical, or of interest right now might be deferred to later.
- some items might not be interesting to you at all anymore and can be eliminated completely.
- basically: write down every single thing that is popping into your brain, and then decide if it’s something you need to do or if it’s something you want to remember or find later.