Idea Bank
Capture ideas; revisit and progress them later.
Overview
The Idea Bank is a holding pen for the half-formed thoughts that arrive at inconvenient times. Capture them quickly so they stop occupying mental bandwidth, then revisit the bank when you actually have space to evaluate, develop, or discard them. It is the antidote to losing good ideas to bad timing and to letting weak ideas crowd out the strong.
Every entry has a title, a description that can be as rough as you like, and an optional status that tracks an idea through "captured", "exploring", and "promoted" stages. The point is friction-free capture combined with deliberate, scheduled review — write first, judge later.
How it works
When an idea strikes, add it to the bank with a short title and whatever description captures the spark. The entry is stored against your account and lands in the inbox view. There is no obligation to flesh it out immediately; brevity is a feature.
During review — weekly, monthly, or whenever you set aside time — work through the captured ideas. Promote the promising ones into projects or task entries, deepen the descriptions that deserve more thought, and archive or delete the rest. The goal is a small, high-quality bank, not an ever-growing pile.
Examples
- "Newsletter idea: write a piece on small-team retros." A one-liner that can grow into a draft.
- "Product: tag presets for the bookmark manager." A feature thought caught between meetings.
- "Side gig: weekend workshop on PDF tooling." A bigger seed that needs research before it leaves the bank.
- "Personal: try writing 500 words before checking email for a month." Lifestyle experiments deserve capture too.
FAQ
How often should I review the bank?
A weekly sweep keeps it manageable. Longer gaps make the review feel daunting; shorter gaps stop being useful.
Should I delete weak ideas?
Yes. A bank full of ideas you would never act on dilutes the value of the ones you would.
What is the difference between an idea and a task?
A task has a clear next step. An idea is still a possibility — it needs evaluation before it becomes work.
Can I promote an idea into something more concrete?
Yes. Once an idea earns its place, copy the relevant bits into a project plan, task, or note.
Is there a limit on entries?
No, but a smaller bank is easier to review. Treat the review session as a regular pruning, not just a parade.