The experience of the now is often more vivid than a distant memory. As a result, we can make decisions in the future without enough regard for how we felt the last time we were in a similar situation.

Here’s a simple hack that can inform your decisions…

You know someone who recently got the flu. Perhaps they were sick in bed for weeks, or even needed medical attention… Write down what happened (and how it made you feel) and put it in your calendar for September 16th. That way, nine months from now, when you’re thinking of getting a flu shot, the reminder will be right there for you.

Did you leave work an hour early to spend time with friends instead? Take some pictures and add that reminder to your calendar for two months from now, a useful way to get out of your daily work rut.

One more: the next time that cold and rain doesn’t keep you from an outdoor walk, drop yourself a note for next week, reminding yourself of how good it was to get up and get out.

It’s not a diary you put on the shelf. It’s a diary entry you send to yourself in the future.

The future unfolds, with or without us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bend it in a useful direction.