Using Day One as a Morgue File

As a developer, I have to constantly learn new things pay attention to the tech news, and just always reading and researching. In the past, I’ve never really collected this information. I would use read later services or maybe hit like on a social media post, but the chances of me going to back to find it has been slim to none. If I couldn’t find it again from a search engine then it was gone forever for me.

Over the past few months, I’ve made a change to my workflow and started using the Day One journaling app as a morgue file, which comes from the newspaper office meaning a collection of old clippings, photographs, and information. Things you come across as you are researching goes in here.

Since so much of my life is digital I can utilize the Safari share extensions to easily save websites, capture screenshots, and copy and paste little quotes I come across. If I’m reading a physical​ book I can take a quick photo and store it.

Where this system has really shined is it’s both simple to review and completely searchable. So now I can find things easier than before. Plus you can use tags, different journals, locations, etc. I personally don’t go that far, and instead, ​opt for quick entry and trusting the search system and my memory for finding it later.

If you are not keeping some type of morgue file I challenge​ you to try it even if you don’t use what I am. Eventually, ​you are going to come back to a problem you solved and need to remember why. This is brilliant for that.