Date Everything — Updated

Adding a date—even just 2024-05 —instantly triggers the correct neural pathway. It provides a temporal anchor. Without a date, information becomes timeless, and timeless information is nearly useless for decision-making. You do not need to date your toothbrush or your coffee mug. But you should aggressively date the following five categories of your life. 1. Digital Files (The Biggest Offender) Look at your computer’s desktop or your phone’s camera roll. If you see filenames like final_draft_v3.doc or IMG_4871.jpg , you are living in chaos.

Use a permanent marker to write the opening date on every container. Do this for condiments, medications, skincare serums, and cleaning supplies. A yogurt tub in the fridge gets a piece of tape with 5/20 . A bottle of shampoo gets Opened: Mar 2025 . date everything

Whether it is a sticky note on your desk, a PowerPoint presentation, a jar of homemade jam, or a pair of sneakers in your closet, adding a date changes the object’s value from "mysterious artifact" to "useful data." Adding a date—even just 2024-05 —instantly triggers the