A few months ago I opened AO3 to post a chapter and immediately remembered I owed somebody an art commission, which would've been great information to have three days earlier.
The stupid part is I wasn't dodging it. I wasn't (trying to) procrastinate. The sketch already existed. My brain had taken the commission, carefully placed it one tab just outside my field of vision, and then acted like it had been erased from the timeline.
I have learned that if something is not actively visible on my screen, there is a very real chance it enters the same dimension as missing socks.
People always assume the solution is "get a better task app." I have gotten so many task apps.
Notion. Todoist. Google Tasks. phone reminders. sticky notes. physical planners. text files named things like MASTER LIST FINAL FOR REAL THIS TIME. Every single one worked perfectly right up until they didn't. Like as soon as I closed them or tabbed into my actual work tab.
The moment I opened a new tab (to do actual work) those tasks actually stopped existing.
I don't even mean that in a dramatic way. I mean literally. The second the app wasn't on my screen, my brain would happily spend six hours writing fanfic and then surface from the depths like
oh right, I was waiting on a beta reader
oh right, I never posted that chapter
oh right, that commission
oh right, those reference images
Meanwhile there are fourteen tabs open, three WIPs fighting with knives in the parking lot, and some brand new fandom has already moved into my head without signing a lease.
The list wasn't the problem. I am GOOD at writing lists. But actually the list was sitting somewhere outside of my FOV and that was the problem.
Creative projects are especially bad for this because none of them live in one place. You've got a draft open. AO3 open. Reference images. Art software. Discord messages. Event deadlines. Notes documents. Screenshots. A folder called "fic ideas" containing either genius or complete nonsense depending on what time it is. And somehow you're expected to remember the stuff that's currently behind another window. I couldn't.
Eventually I got annoyed enough to do what I always do when software annoys me, which is develop an extremely unhealthy level of determination. I realized I didn't want a smarter task manager. I wanted a task manager that was physically incapable of leaving.
I wanted something that stayed on top of everything. Above Google Docs, above Krita, above the browser tab where I'm researching a historical detail for a scene that absolutely did not need historical research but now we're here.
I wanted a little list sitting in the corner going "hey. remember the rest of your life." So I built one. When I'm writing, drawing, texting, whatever—it. will. be. there. Forever. (Unless I minimize it ofc).
It 's not distracting either. When I click away from it, it fades back so it's not constantly demanding space for my limited attention. It's more like having a sticky note with object permanence powers. And when I don't need the space, I can collapse it down into this tiny little bar that basically says "I'm still here. nice try."
Anyway I just wanted to rant about my checklist app cause it's awesome and I'm a nerd. Sorry.
If any of this sounds familiar and you're also operating on a "out of sight, no longer part of reality" system, I put the app up. It's called Checklist App (very original).
Maybe it'll help. Worst case, it can sit in the corner judging both of us. Best case, it'll remind you to write that one fic you keep putting off.
btw this app is windows only. you cant download this on mac, iphone, or android. sorry but i use this for writing and im a windows user. no regerts.
