StickyScreen

I have a habit of putting sticky notes on the edge of my monitor. Usually these notes consist of mantras I come up with based on something I’ve learned or read recently. I have to change it up about once a week because if I get too used to seeing it, I start ignoring it.

Meet StickyScreen

My new mini-project takes the note off the edge of your monitor and puts it smack dab in the middle. The idea is to set StickyScreen as your homepage so that your ‘note to self’ shows up whenever you open a new tab or browser window.

It’s just like leaving yourself a note on the bathroom mirror before you go to bed: you know you’ll see it the next morning, but at the same time, you’re not totally expecting it when you do. That’s why StickyScreen works well as a procrastination roadblock — a small reminder to stay on task when you’re opening new pages left and right. Merlin Mann has a great term for these types of things: he calls them undistractions. StickyScreen probably wouldn’t exist had I not come across his own personal undistraction a week ago.

How it works:

No bullshit login screens, database voodoo or even a ‘submit’ button. You type directly onto the sticky and it updates as you type. Your sticky is unique to you – nobody will see it but you (and whomever you let use your web browser). You can change it as often as you like, so it never gets stale. Firefox users can make it load on every new tab too, with the New Tab Homepage addon.

Here’s my current StickyScreen:

Show me yours! Or better yet, don’t. Type yourself a note and get on with it — you have better things to do than posting screenshots to some dude’s blog.

Update: Since I’ve gotten a couple messages about it – yes, you are free to make your own version or adapt the page to your own liking, though I’d greatly appreciate a shout out if you do.