The Quick-Capture Inbox Method: Get Ideas Out of Your Head First, Organise Later

Ideas and tasks arrive at inconvenient times: mid-conversation, in the shower, on the bus. If you try to file them properly on the spot, you either lose the thought or get distracted. The solution is to separate capturing from organising.

The principle

David Allen's productivity method, Getting Things Done, popularised the idea of an "inbox": one trusted place where everything goes first. The inbox isn't for storing things. It's for holding them safely until you can decide what they are.

Why it works

• It's fast. You don't need to think about where a note belongs.
• It's reliable. If you always capture in the same place, you stop worrying about forgetting.
• It reduces mental load. Holding unfinished thoughts in your head is tiring.
• It prevents interruptions. You can capture and return to what you were doing.

Setting up an inbox

You can use either:

• An "Inbox" note: one running note where you add lines as they arise.
• An "inbox" tag: each quick note gets the tag, and you sort them later.

Choose one, and use it consistently.

What goes in the inbox

Everything unprocessed:

• Tasks that occur to you
• Ideas
• Things to buy
• Things to look up
• Names, numbers and addresses
• Half-formed thoughts

Write just enough to jog your memory later, ideally with a clear verb: "Call dentist to rebook", "Research standing desks".

The weekly processing routine

Once a week, or daily if you prefer, spend ten minutes going through the inbox. For each item, ask:

1. Is it actionable?
2. If yes, can it be done in two minutes? Do it now.
3. If not, when will it be done? Move it to a task list or set a reminder.
4. If it's not actionable, decide whether it's reference material worth keeping, an idea for the future, or trash.

Then clear the inbox, so that it's empty and ready for the next week.

Where items go after the inbox

• Tasks: a checklist or a scheduled reminder.
• Ideas: a note tagged ideas.
• Reference: a note with a clear title and tag.
• Someday: a list of things you might do later.

Keep it easy to open

The value of an inbox depends on how fast you can reach it. Put your notes app somewhere easy to tap, and open it straight to a new note.

Avoid overcomplication

You don't need multiple inboxes or elaborate rules. One place, processed regularly, does the job.

Common mistakes

• Never processing the inbox, so it turns into another pile.
• Writing notes so cryptic that they're meaningless a week later.
• Having several inboxes.
• Trying to organise while capturing.

Start today

Create an "Inbox" note now, and add the first three things that come to mind. Set a weekly reminder to process it.

Capture ideas fast with EasyNotes →