Fundamentally the problem is our computational boundedness. Each time you try to spawn a new subtask, you risk losing track of the details of what spawned the process. If that subtask requires its own subtask, good luck finding your way back where you started without running out of working memory—and yet, this sort of mental operation happens a hundred times a day in “knowledge work” type jobs like coding.
These days I have a notepad where I write down actionable thoughts that I’m having as I work. Sort of expands and gives a bash history of my working memory. This is my current preferred solution after trying many different digital solutions.
Fundamentally the problem is our computational boundedness. Each time you try to spawn a new subtask, you risk losing track of the details of what spawned the process. If that subtask requires its own subtask, good luck finding your way back where you started without running out of working memory—and yet, this sort of mental operation happens a hundred times a day in “knowledge work” type jobs like coding.
These days I have a notepad where I write down actionable thoughts that I’m having as I work. Sort of expands and gives a bash history of my working memory. This is my current preferred solution after trying many different digital solutions.