- you need a trusted system to which you can offload “open loops” so your mind is able to focus instead of remember. - open loops can refer to anything that has captured your attention: tasks, decisions, commitments, obligations; interests, questions, daydreams; repairs, appointments, phone calls, errands; goals, wishes, plans, wants. - we alleviate tension in our minds by externally *capturing* these loops somewhere besides our brains, and by *closing* the loops either by taking some action or explicitly deciding *not* to take action. - open loops are either immediately actionable or not immediately actionable. - items that aren’t actionable at all might be saved as information to use later. - items that are actionable but not important, practical, or of interest *right now* might be deferred to later. - some items might not be interesting to you at all anymore and can be eliminated completely. - **basically: write down every single thing that is popping into your brain, and then decide if it’s something you need to *do* or if it’s something you want to remember or find later.** - see [[{4.4b} next actions in gtd]] for actionable items.