how to create a new text document on mac

If you note down your exercise, measurements, habit progress, or other metrics in a text file, you won't need to worry about whether your favorite service will keep your data safe, or how they want to structure it. The answer is the same as it would be for any of the other ideas listed here-text files are flexible, simple, and future-proof. With all the technology available now to help us track pretty much every aspect of our lives, you might wonder why anyone would opt for a text file instead. A simple text file can be a flexible way of storing your ideas-you can add a date if you want to, and you can come back to the list and add notes later to expand on it. If you're thinking up new ideas all the time, you're going to want somewhere to put them. I recently wrote about how to come up with better ideas. If you'd rather store all that data yourself and not have it filling up an email account, you could use a text file to keep a running list of short letters to your children about their progress. I came across this idea on Hacker News, where a parent mentioned writing emails to their son every day.

You won't get the extras of an app made for journalling, such as automatic weather data, tags, or adding images, but if your aim is to build the simple habit of penning some thoughts every day, plain text will more than suit your needs.Ī related idea is writing letters for your children to read when they grow up. There are some great apps for journalling now, but if you don't want to pay for yet another app just to hold your journal, a text file can work just as well. You don't need to fit in with any particular feature set-just try out different ways of planning your week and stick with what works.

The great thing about using a text file for your weekly plan is that you have the flexibility to experiment. Once a week, usually on Mondays, I open a small text file named plan.txt and jot down my action plan for the week. I do both, as I need a robust system to keep track of everything, but a simple to do list for the week keeps me from getting overwhelmed. Even if you use a complicated task management app, you might still benefit from doing a simple weekly plan like this. Computer scientist Cal Newport uses a text file to plan his week ( example above) so he can get more done.

How to create a new text document on mac