Post-Its are the ultimate to-do app

Does everyone go through to-do apps like underwear? I have, from Things way back when to TeuxDeux as my last one. However, I keep coming back to the written to-do list. It’s the easiest of them all. Ultimately, I think that’s what the digital apps are, aren’t they? Simple lists with the ability to schedule things.

I credit C for my current set up. Single Post-It, a few items on that two inch by two inch square. There’s a built-in limit to how much I can put on that colored square, which naturally limits to how full my plate can be. I put the work stuff, the personal stuff, the school stuff, dog stuff…I put everything on it because I don’t like segmenting my life into different sections. I am one person, with the ability to only do so much in a day. Splitting tasks into categories makes it seem like I can do more. The tasks must be succinct enough to fit on the paper, which means I must have a clear definition of the task (no amorphous, ephemeral, big ticket items). For those tasks that have a due date outside of today, I hop on over to my calendar and throw them into a specific “Tasks” calendar in my Fastmail account and then on my desk calendar. Repetitive tasks are written down every day; I don’t set up anything in the calendar for this.

The Post-It is stuck to my monitor for most of the work days and I gently peel it off, run my pen through the entire item when complete, and stick it back on. On days when I’m not at my desk, the little square gets stuck to the current page in my little daily carry: a lovely, worn, warm leather cover about the size of a passport that contains an A6 notebook.

The following morning, I look at anything that wasn’t crossed off, decide if it is worth doing and transfer it to today’s square if it is. Then, I crumple of the Post-It, throw it in the trash, and start fresh.

It’s simple, very few rules, low friction. No app to open, no computer to turn on, no power needed. Tangible, satisfying to watch the words go down, and even more satisfying dragging my pen through them when done. The only gotcha is that you have to buy the original Post-Its—every knockoff we’ve tried has failed to reliably stay sticky throughout the day. The upgrade to the original is definitely necessary.