A NOTE FOR LATER
Write a note your future self can understand
“That thing” and “over there” seem clear right now, then turn into a code a few days later. Add a few words about why you wrote it.
You wrote the note, but now you cannot read it
“Do that again.” “The nice place.” In the moment, a rushed note can feel perfectly clear. A few days later, you have to solve a little quiz: what was “that,” and where was “the nice place”?
Your future self is not looking at the same day you are. Different things feel urgent, and the memory has wandered somewhere else. It helps to leave a small clue for that person.
Add a few words about why
Instead of “that café again,” try “the café where we sat by the window in the rain—go with Mom.” Instead of “look up the book,” try “find the short novel my friend mentioned.” The reason turns a private shorthand into a sentence you can read later.
A few days from now, will I know why I wrote this?
A note you recognize beats a note that sounds good
A note does not have to be beautifully written. It only has to make sense to you—and that includes the you who will read it next week. Since nobody else needs to see it, you can be plain about it. Start by adding two or three words after “I liked this” to say why.
A few ideas for keeping a diary and notes with Your Day.