The Great Myth of ‘I’ll Remember This Later’

We’ve all been there. You finish a project, tweak a system, or solve a gnarly problem, and you think, “No need to write this down, I’ll totally remember it.” Fast-forward a week (or an hour), and you’re staring at your own work like it’s written in ancient hieroglyphics. Spoiler alert: our brains are not as reliable as we think, and that mental sticky note you made? Yeah, it fell off.

What Is Documentation, Really?

Documentation isn’t just 500-page manuals or boring wikis no one reads. It’s the act of recording anything that helps you or someone else understand what the heck is going on. It could be:

• A checklist
• A quick how-to guide
• Comments in your code
• A shared Google Doc
• Even a video or voice memo if that’s your jam

If you’ve ever covered for someone and felt the plain of trying to figure out where someone left off, it’s time for documentation.

I’ve absorbed accounts from a former colleague who was laid off and all I had was the inbox how it was left. Nightmare fuel.

If you’re operating with a lean team or have colleagues that specialize in different components, documentation is absolutely crucial for coverage.

The Real-World Benefits (Backed by Logic and Laughter)

Saves Time Later
Writing it now saves you from future you rage-Googling your own process. A little effort today equals big returns tomorrow.

Helps Others Help You
Whether it’s a teammate, collaborator, or your future intern, good documentation saves people from having to summon you with arcane Slack messages.

Reduces Mistakes
When you write it down, you solidify your process. Fewer “oops” moments. More “oh hey, this works” moments.

Increases Team Efficiency
Sick of answering the same question six times? Make a doc, send a link, go get a snack. It’s that easy.

But I Hate Writing Docs!

Totally valid. Writing docs can feel like the homework of adult life. But it doesn’t have to be painful. Here are some non-sucky ways to do it:

• Start messy. Bullet points > blank page. Think about most frequently asked questions.
• Use tools you like. Docs, Notion, voice memos, post-its stuck to your monitor.
• Record your screen. Talk through what you’re doing or take screenshots. Done.
• Make templates. Reuse your past genius!

Remember, documentation isn’t about being poetic. It’s about being clear.

Your Brain is for Thinking, Not Storing

You have better things to do than remember every tiny detail of everything you’ve ever done. Let documentation be the backup brain. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to exist.

Do it for your team. Do it for your future self. Do it so you never again have to say, “Who wrote this? Oh… it was me.”

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Signs You Should’ve Documented That

• You just Googled how to do something you figured out last month.
• Someone pinged you, “Hey, do you remember how you…”
• Your team built the same tool twice.
• You created a genius spreadsheet formula and now it looks like witchcraft.
• You opened a project and said, “What in fresh hell is this?”

Write it down. Save a brain cell. Leave a legacy (until it’s deleted).

Better Reading Material: The importance of documentation (because it’s way more than a formality)