Kyle Nazario

Ever since I was a kid, I would forget things. Homework, names, important appointments, you name it. My friends, family and partner would say the same thing. As my abuela used to tell dad, “You’d forget your head if it wasn’t screwed on your neck.”

But that’s improved in the last few years. I stopped trying to “remember better” and started using computers. Computers, though fallible, have a far better memory than I do. After some experiments, I realized I should use them like an outboard brain.

The timed reminder

If you have an iPhone, Siri and the Reminders app are great at setting reminders for a specific date or time. For example, if I notice the trash getting full, I’ll pull out my phone, hold down the power button to activate Siri and say, “Remind me at 5:30 p.m. to put out the trash.” It’ll spin for a second, then save a reminder. Fast and seamless.

At 5:30, your iPhone will bloop with a notification to put out the trash. Best of all, the notification hangs around on the lock screen until you complete it or remove it.

The calendar reminder

Put important work or personal events into your calendar, with reminders. Make sure your calendar notifications are active on your phone, and never miss a meeting or birthday again.

The notes app

A notes app has improved my memory more than anything else. These things are a super power.

I recommend any modern notes app, as long as it has two features: cloud sync and search. Anything beyond that is a matter of personal preference. I’ve tried and enjoyed Apple Notes, Simplenote, Bear, Obsidian and Craft. I currently use Notion, ¹ but again, any will do.

Once you have an app, use it for everything. Any thought, no matter how half-baked, can go in the app. Thought of a good birthday gift for your mom in six months? Throw it in the app. Figure out which switches in the fuse box correspond to what outlets? Into the app. Someone mention a couple movies that sound interesting? App.

A notes app is a bottomless bucket. It has no space limit (that you’re likely to hit). It requires no organization. It takes no physical space. Put everything in it.

If you want to look something up later, simply search. Most modern notes apps have half-decent search. When you’re in the store the day before Mom’s birthday, you can search your app for “mom” and instantly pull up that list from six months ago.

I use my notes app for everything now. To do lists, work accomplishments, travel plans, shopping lists, recipes, keywords used for this blog, even names of people I meet at social events.

Computers make a pretty good outboard brain.