Do you use the Notes app on your phone?
While I love creating tools to help parents and other busy people get things done, for some problems, the simplest solution is the one you already have. For example, using the reminders app on your phone extensively and scheduling text messages can both help cut back on noise and help you get things done.
I use the Notes app on my iPhone every single day. The notes I keep have helped me become a better gift-giver, reduce mental load, and actually be more present in my life by creating a lens through which to take notice.
Why the Notes app works
There are a few reasons why I think the Notes app works to help you clear your mind and remember to write things down. The obvious one is that your phone is with you everywhere already.
There’s more to it than that, though. There is a mental priming effect that occurs when you create a note with a certain title. For example, this year, I started one called “gift ideas.” In the past when it came to birthdays and holidays, I struggled to think of good presents to give to friends and family. By creating a note at the beginning of the year, I primed my mind to be aware of those ideas. For example, when watching the Tom Hanks classic Joe Versus the Volcano and my husband declared “I want that exact hula lamp”, I realized that was a great gift idea for him, and discreetly opened my note to jot it down. (Unfortunately, it turns out the lamp was custom-made for the movie.)
While it helps you think of more ideas like this, the Notes app also serves as a repository for those things clattering around in your brain, taking up space. I am a big proponent of reducing your mental load to find peace and clarity. When you have a dedicated space to write down your ideas, you give your brain permission to let go of them, giving you space to focus on the present and feel more at peace.
5 notes to create in your Notes app right now
Here are 5 notes to create to reduce mental load, increase creativity, become a more thoughtful person, and thrive this year.
1. Gift ideas
Make a bulleted list of people that you typically gift to. Start sub-bullets underneath each person. Anytime someone mentions something they like, something they’d like to do (whether a hobby to try or a concert they’d like to go to), a small problem they’re having such as a worn-out kitchen tool or their phone battery running out throughout the day, you can jot down those ideas in your new note. Come holiday time, you’ll have a great list to start from, which will make you a more thoughtful gift-giver, strengthening your relationships with friends and family. My favorite thing about this method is that a gift harkening back to something they mentioned long ago really helps them feel seen and heard.
2. Things you love about your partner, parent, child, or BFF
For milestone birthdays, my family has a tradition of writing a list of things we love about that person, equal to the number of years old they’re turning – for example, 60 Things We Love About Mom on her 60th birthday. We all cherish this opportunity to go through memories and little things we’ve noticed about a person to share what we love. And not to get too dark here, but loss has taught me that many of these lovely things are held unsaid until someone’s funeral, which is a shame. We should make a point of celebrating the people around us while they are here. To make this kind of list, it’s certainly possible to brainstorm enough ideas by sitting down a few weeks before the birthday, but it is easier if you build it over time, jotting down things you notice or remember over months and years, and makes for a deeper and more thoughtful list overall.
3. Gratitude list
Keep a note dedicated to things you are thankful for. Priming yourself to look for things to be grateful for has a wealth of benefits. Practicing gratitude can boost your mood, possibly extending to better sleep, improved focus, higher self-esteem, and increased patience. You could also give this note a broader “positive things” spin by including “wins” of things you have accomplished big and small, and compliments that other people have given to you.
4. Books to read; TV shows and movies to watch
You may already use apps to track these things, but if you don’t, I highly recommend starting a list of things you’d like to read or watch. It always feels better to jump right into something rather than spending the first portion of your “relaxation” time scrolling for ideas and feeling indecisive.
5. Random ideas to research later
Are you ever in the middle of a task and suddenly struck with the need to Google something, immediately? Completely unrelated to the task at hand? Yeah, me too, about twenty times a day. This is a distracting habit. Instead, when you wonder what vegetarian casserole dish you should bring to your upcoming potluck, how old Charlie Brown is supposed to be, or who owned your house before the person you bought it from (all things I have Googled this week), try jotting these ideas down in a note. You can research them at a more opportune time…or just give yourself permission to forget about it.
Bonus ideas for notes
While I wouldn’t put these in the top 5 notes you should create this year, nor are they necessary for everyone, here are some other ideas to consider when creating notes in your phone:
- Quote list – quotes that you find interesting or inspiring.
- What to order – what dishes you have enjoyed (or importantly, not enjoyed), at what restaurants.
- Favorite smells or sounds – A sensory log for when you need comfort or inspiration.
- A list of things you have lent to other people – Track books, tools, or other items you’ve lent to people.
- Lost & found – Keep a record of where you find commonly misplaced items, for example, the car keys are often in my husband’s coat pockets.
- Icebreakers – A former coworker of mine kept an extensive list of icebreakers and conversation starters, which always made the more social parts of our meetings fun and interesting. Jot down ideas you think of randomly or that have inspired good conversation to use again later.
What do you think? Do you have any favorite notes in your phone?
