Every day, sometime after work, I sit at my desk and spend 5 minutes logging what I did, how I felt, and what I could do better next time.
It started off messy — just a handwritten sheet of paper with timestamps and half-thoughts — but eventually graduated to a Google spreadsheet. (Of course it’s a spreadsheet!)
A random line from July 22, 2025 reads:
“Good feedback from so-so…”
Yesterday’s entry?
“Glad to see my experiments are gaining traction…”
It’s simple. But this little ritual has become one of the most important habits I have.
The Things I Log
Work isn’t the only thing I track. Not even close.
Any situation that feels like a “take a mental note” kind of moment… I actually take a note. I write it down. I log it.
As of this morning, my database shows 14,721 logs.
The latest?
12:16 AM last night — or maybe this morning — just one line:
“Blog post. Log.”
That single note sparked today’s post. (Thanks, past me. You made Output before input a lot easier.)
Little Observations
If my partner or I notice something at the store — an item on sale, something we might want later — I log it.
Example:
Organic cooked beets by the brand "Love beats" was selling for $13.49 at Costco on May 3rd, 2025. 3 packs of 500g bags.
If I catch myself wasting time, I log that too.
From July 27, 2025, 6:05 PM:
“Poked on Instagram. Started with Tom Sachs’ ISRU — purposeful, research. The scrolling after? Not so much.”
Hmm… Have to be more mindful of that next time.
What Logging Really Is
Some people focus on the quality of their notes — making them neat, tidy. Perfect. That’s not me.
I mean, what’s the quality of a line like:
“Blog post. Breadcrumbs.” from July 16th, 2025, 7:11 PM.
(Haven’t written that one yet — though this post is definitely in its spirit. So, maybe this one counts.)
Maybe my strength is the volume. Because 14,000+ logs of random thoughts, observations, and moments is quite a lot.
But above all, I think it’s precision. Every note is anchored by a date (and usually a timestamp).
Half written by hand. Half generated automatically.
Each one a breadcrumb in time.
Why I Do It
Why log all this? Why spend 5-30 seconds — sometimes a few minutes — capturing every little thing?
Because these logs are compounded micro acts of intentionality.
They force me to pause. To think.
- What just happened?
- What’s important here?
- How do I feel?
- What do I need next?
- What might matter later?
Logging turns fleeting moments into something I can return to. It’s my way of reflecting, noticing, and staying present in a life that moves too fast.
To see life as it’s happening. To refuse to let it blur. To refuse to forget. Well… I try my best to anyway.
All these logs — these quick, messy breadcrumbs — are more than just notes. They’re how I notice patterns others might miss.
They help me move with clarity — because I’ve already processed the raw, unfiltered thoughts.
They help me move with confidence — because I’m not guessing where my time or focus went.
I can see it. I can track it. I can learn from it.
The next time I catch myself drifting — even for 5 seconds on Instagram — I know what I’ll say to myself:
Log it. Own it. Learn from it.
P.S. Once this post goes live? You guessed it. I’ll add it to my “Post” spreadsheet. Note what inspired it. And log it.