Gorp
Interrupted-work checkpoint
Before you switch tasks, talk for thirty seconds about where you stopped, what you tried and what to do next. Tomorrow you start from that instead of from scratch.
Try a 30–60 second checkpoint before switching tasks.
What you end up with
A short restart note you can find by project and use without reconstructing the whole session.
Before you start
- Give the note the project name and a dated checkpoint title.
- Have the key file or link ready to paste into My notes.
- Keep passwords, keys, and other secrets out of the recording.
Say where you stopped
Record a short note: the task, what is actually finished, what you last tried, and the next action. You can also type this in My notes without recording. Paste exact paths, links, or error messages rather than trusting spoken punctuation.
Make the next step small
Use the checkpoint template and review the generated note. “Compare these two outputs” is easier to act on than “keep debugging.” Mark untested ideas as hypotheses.
Put it where you will look
File the note in the project's folder and give it a recognizable title. When you return, find it through the folder or library search. Gorp does not currently notice which project you opened and automatically surface its checkpoint.
Record the next checkpoint separately
Keep later checkpoints dated so you can distinguish current state from older attempts. Review the latest one before acting; the note does not know what changed in another app since it was written.
Questions to try
Use these as prompts, then follow the conversation.
- What is actually finished?
- What did I just try, and what happened?
- What is the smallest next action?
- What must I avoid changing?
- Which file or link will I need?
Leave a useful restart point
What you put in My notes
Task: find the mismatch in the import preview. Done: reproduced with the synthetic fixture. Tried: changed the sort order; no improvement. Next: compare the two timestamp columns. File: import-example.csv Unknown: whether one column is UTC.
What you are aiming for
A clear next step with the failed attempt and an unresolved hypothesis preserved.
Your starter template
In Settings → Templates → Browse starter templates…, add an editable copy of this template and save settings. Or create a Blank template. Name it “Interrupted-work checkpoint”, paste the outline and guidance below into their matching fields, and save settings. Choose the template in your note; use Insert outline if My notes is empty. The download is a text worksheet you can keep, not a one-click import file.
Download the starter worksheet ↓Outline
## Task and current state ## What I just tried ## Next concrete step ## Blockers and unknowns ## Files, links, and context
Note-writing guidance
Create a concise restart note from the user's checkpoint. Separate completed work from attempts, hypotheses, and intended next steps. Preserve exact file names, links, errors, and constraints only when supplied. Do not invent progress, causes, resolutions, deadlines, or tasks. If the next step is unspecified, say so. Keep the note short enough to scan when returning to the task.
Newer tools worth trying
These are in the current Mac preview. Nothing is shared or added to Reminders until you review it and say so.
Settings → Templates → Browse starter templates… adds an editable copy of this outline. Save settings, then choose it in the note. This keeps your existing templates and notes intact.
For an action confirmed against saved audio, Reviewed follow-ups → Plan… can keep a due day and blocker beside its source. Add to Reminders… creates a separate copy only when you choose it. A typed checkpoint without recorded evidence remains a note, not a confirmed audio follow-up.
Project history… in the library sidebar or Edit menu shows confirmed decisions, actions and noted questions in a folder or tag you choose. Open or listen to the source, search planning details, and copy the shown history. Repeated statements keep their dates and source notes; discussion does not automatically complete actions or replace earlier decisions.
What still needs your judgment
- There is no automatic project detection or reminder in this workflow.
- A checkpoint records what you supplied; it does not inspect the current state of your files.
For processing choices and data flow, see the privacy setup guide.