Life tracking reference
What Can You Track in a Life Tracker?
Life is not one metric. It is people you meet, places you return to, conversations you want to remember, decisions you make, projects you finish, ideas you nearly forget and ordinary moments that become meaningful later.
This reference contains 100 practical examples of things a person might choose to remember in natural notes. It is not a checklist, and Onuri does not automatically monitor your life. You decide what to write; Onuri helps connect recognised people, places, dates and ideas so related context can be rediscovered later.
How to use this page: browse for ideas, not obligations. A useful life log can be one sentence long. These examples use ordinary language rather than forms, tags or rigid categories.
Life reference category
People & relationships
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friends | conversations, plans, recommendations, shared memories | Met Aoife for coffee; she recommended the exhibition. | person · place · date · idea | friend notes · conversation log |
| Family | visits, family stories, milestones | Dad told me the story about his first job. | person · date · idea | family memory log · personal history |
| Partner | dates, shared plans, meaningful moments | Dinner with Mina; talked about a weekend trip in October. | person · place · date | relationship journal · shared memories |
| Children | funny moments, milestones, interests | Ella learned to ride without stabilisers today. | person · date · idea | parent memory notes · milestone log |
| Grandparents | stories, visits, family history | Gran described the house she grew up in near Cork. | person · place · idea | family history · oral-history notes |
| Colleagues | meetings, context, follow-ups | Spoke with Sam after stand-up about simplifying onboarding. | person · date · idea | colleague notes · work context |
| Clients | requirements, conversations, preferences | Client prefers the shorter launch sequence; revisit Tuesday. | person · date · idea | client notes · conversation history |
| Mentors | advice, lessons, recommended reading | Nora said to test the smallest version before expanding scope. | person · idea · date | mentor notes · advice journal |
| People you meet | names, where you met, what you discussed | Met Kenji at a conference; he works on accessibility. | person · place · idea | people-met log · networking memory |
| Neighbours | local conversations, recommendations, events | Maeve mentioned the Saturday market starts earlier this month. | person · place · date | community notes · local context |
| Birthdays | gift ideas, memories, plans | Tom's birthday is in November; he mentioned that cookbook. | person · date · idea | birthday notes · gift memory |
| Reconnecting | last conversation, changes, next catch-up | Caught up with Lea after two years; she moved to Galway. | person · place · date | catch-up notes · relationship context |
Life reference category
Places & travel
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cities visited | neighbourhoods, discoveries, memories | Loved the quiet streets around Nakameguro after breakfast. | place · date · idea | cities-visited log · travel memory |
| Restaurants | meals, companions, whether to return | Lunch with Tom; the aubergine dish is worth ordering again. | place · person · idea | restaurant diary · revisit notes |
| Cafés | what worked, who joined, atmosphere | Quiet café near the station was perfect for writing. | place · date · idea | café log · saved places |
| Hotels | room details, nearby places, what worked | Hotel near the station was convenient but noisy at night. | place · date · idea | hotel notes · travel reference |
| Walks | routes, observations, companions | Walked the pier at sunset and solved the naming problem. | place · person · idea | walking journal · place memories |
| Trips | daily highlights, discoveries, people | First morning in Lisbon: breakfast in Alfama. | place · date · idea | trip journal · holiday log |
| Museums | exhibitions, artists, works to remember | The exhibition changed how I think about colour and scale. | place · idea · date | museum log · culture notes |
| Markets | things found, gifts, recommendations | Found a tiny stationery stall with great notebooks. | place · idea | market notes · local discoveries |
| Parks | seasonal changes, walks, observations | Cherry blossoms were just starting near the lake. | place · date · idea | nature journal · place log |
| Beaches | companions, discoveries, memorable moments | Quiet morning at the beach with Erin; tide was far out. | place · person · date | coastal diary · day-trip notes |
| Road trips | stops, routes, unexpected finds | Stopped for lunch and found a brilliant bookshop. | place · date · idea | road-trip log · journey notes |
| Places to revisit | why it mattered, who recommended it | Small bakery near the station—return for the sesame loaf. | place · person · idea | saved places · revisit list |
Life reference category
Work, study & projects
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projects | decisions, progress, blockers, next steps | Cut the first release to three core features after testing. | date · idea · person | project journal · decision history |
| Meetings | decisions, people, follow-ups | Planning meeting: Maya owns copy; review Friday. | person · date · idea | meeting notes · follow-up context |
| Career milestones | new roles, achievements, changes | Signed the offer today; start date is 12 October. | date · person · idea | career timeline · milestone log |
| Job search | applications, conversations, impressions | Interview went well; follow up Thursday. | person · date · idea | job-search notes · interview log |
| Learning | concepts, questions, breakthroughs | Finally understood why the caching bug appears offline. | idea · date | learning journal · study notes |
| Books for work | ideas, lessons, connections | Chapter on attention connects with my notes on friction. | idea · date | reading notes · knowledge log |
| Classes | topics, teachers, questions | Lecture on urban design; look up the Helsinki case. | person · idea · date | class notes · lecture journal |
| Research | hypotheses, interviews, findings | Three interviews point to the same onboarding confusion. | person · idea · date | research log · insight tracker |
| Creative work | concepts, drafts, feedback | Story idea: memory changes each time it is retold. | idea · date · person | creative journal · idea archive |
| Freelance work | briefs, deadlines, client context | Homepage revision due Friday; keep the quieter headline. | person · date · idea | freelance notes · project log |
| Presentations | talk ideas, questions, revisions | Move the demo earlier; explanation is too abstract first. | idea · date | presentation notes · speaking journal |
| Achievements | wins, launches, finished work | Shipped version 1.0 today after six months of evenings. | date · idea · person | achievement log · accomplishment journal |
Life reference category
Decisions & personal knowledge
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decisions | options, reasoning, outcome | Chose the simpler plan because it removes weekly maintenance. | idea · date · person | decision journal · choice history |
| Ideas | rough thoughts, sparks, connections | What if the archive organised itself around recurring entities? | idea · date | idea capture · thought log |
| Questions | things to investigate, people to ask | Why does this workflow feel harder after the third step? | idea · person · date | question log · curiosity notes |
| Lessons learned | mistakes, discoveries, principles | When setup takes ten minutes, I stop using the system. | idea · date | lessons journal · knowledge notes |
| Recommendations | who suggested what and why | Sara recommended the novel after our conversation about memory. | person · idea · date | recommendation tracker · suggestion log |
| Phrases | memorable wording with source context | Phrase from today's talk: simplify before you automate. | person · place · date · idea | phrase collection · talk notes |
| Predictions | what you think will happen and why | I think this feature will matter more to returning users. | idea · date | prediction journal · thinking log |
| Experiments | hypothesis, change, result | Removed the extra field for a week; completion improved. | idea · date | experiment log · test journal |
| Principles | rules of thumb, recurring beliefs | Prefer systems that become useful without daily maintenance. | idea · date | personal principles · values notes |
| Problems | symptoms, context, possible fixes | Search feels slow only after importing a large archive. | idea · date | problem log · troubleshooting notes |
| Future ideas | possibilities you do not want to lose | Could connect old travel notes by place automatically. | idea · place · date | someday ideas · future projects |
| Small facts | details that matter later | The spare key is with Alex until next weekend. | person · date · idea | personal reference · memory aid |
Life reference category
Everyday life & memories
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily highlights | small wins, surprises, moments | Unexpected sunshine; long lunch outside with Maya. | person · place · date | daily life log · everyday journal |
| Week in review | events, themes, people, progress | Busy week; best part was seeing old friends Saturday. | person · date · idea | weekly reflection · life review |
| Life milestones | moves, graduations, starts, endings | Picked up the keys to the new flat today. | place · date · person | life timeline · milestone tracker |
| Firsts | first visits, attempts, experiences | First time kayaking; calmer than I expected. | place · date · person | first-time journal · experience log |
| Traditions | annual rituals, family routines | Made the same birthday cake Mum used to make. | person · date · idea | tradition journal · family memory |
| Celebrations | who came, what happened, details | Small dinner after the launch; everyone stayed late talking. | person · place · date | celebration log · event memories |
| Unexpected moments | surprises, coincidences, discoveries | Ran into an old classmate on the train after ten years. | person · place · date | serendipity log · memory journal |
| Turning points | changes in direction and why | Decided to stop expanding and focus on the core product. | date · idea · person | turning-point journal · life history |
| Personal stories | anecdotes worth preserving | The story of getting lost in Rome keeps coming up at dinners. | place · person · idea | story archive · memoir notes |
| Things people say | funny, wise or meaningful remarks | Leo called the moon 'the night sun' on the walk home. | person · place · date | quote diary · family memories |
| Seasonal memories | weather, routines, annual changes | First cold evening of autumn; heavy coat came out. | date · place · idea | seasonal journal · yearly life log |
| Ordinary moments | details that may matter later | Quiet Sunday: coffee, laundry, long call with my sister. | person · date · idea | everyday memory log · simple diary |
Life reference category
Culture & recommendations
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books read | what stood out, who recommended it | Finished the novel; the ending made earlier chapters click. | idea · person · date | reading log · book journal |
| Films | reactions, companions, memorable scenes | Saw the film with Ben; discussed the ending all the way home. | person · place · date | film diary · movie log |
| TV series | episodes, thoughts, recommendations | Season two is much better; recommend it to Clara. | person · idea · date | TV log · watch notes |
| Music | albums, concerts, associations | This album reminds me of train rides through Japan. | place · date · idea | music journal · listening log |
| Podcasts | episodes, guests, ideas | Episode on attention had a useful idea about interruption. | person · idea · date | podcast notes · listening journal |
| Articles | arguments, ideas, why it mattered | Essay on memory supports the idea of context over folders. | idea · date | article notes · reading archive |
| Games | sessions, discoveries, people | Co-op game with Jamie; finally solved the lighthouse puzzle. | person · date · idea | gaming journal · play log |
| Concerts | venue, people, favourite moments | Small venue, brilliant encore, went with Nina. | person · place · date | concert diary · live-event log |
| Recipes | changes, who liked them, where found | Added less sugar this time; everyone preferred it. | person · idea · date | recipe notes · cooking journal |
| Things to recommend | books, places, tools, experiences | Recommend the gallery café to anyone visiting that area. | place · idea | recommendation list · favourites |
Life reference category
Home & practical context
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home projects | repairs, paint, measurements, decisions | Used the warmer white in the hallway; keep the code. | place · date · idea | home-project log · renovation notes |
| Moving home | viewings, decisions, practical details | Viewed the flat Tuesday; great light, noisy street. | place · date · person | moving notes · house-search log |
| Purchases | why you bought it, impressions | Bought the smaller backpack after trying both sizes. | place · date · idea | purchase journal · decision log |
| Gifts | ideas, recipients, what worked | Mum loved the photo book; remember that for birthdays. | person · date · idea | gift tracker · present notes |
| Things lent | item, person, when | Lent the drill to Chris on Sunday. | person · date · idea | lending notes · borrowed-items log |
| Repairs | what happened, who fixed it | Bike serviced today; rear brake pads replaced. | place · date · person | maintenance log · repair notes |
| Plants | planting, changes, seasonal observations | Moved the basil to the sunnier window; looks better. | place · date · idea | garden journal · plant notes |
| Collections | where something came from, why it matters | Found the old postcard at a market in Porto. | place · date · idea | collection notes · provenance journal |
| Documents | where something is stored, renewal context | Passport paperwork is in the blue folder. | date · idea | personal admin · reference notes |
| Services | why you use them, renewal decisions | Cancel the design tool before renewal; no longer needed. | date · idea | service notes · subscription context |
Life reference category
Plans & future context
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upcoming trips | ideas, people, places | Kyoto in November; ask Kenji about neighbourhoods. | person · place · date | trip-planning notes · travel ideas |
| Events | dates, venues, people, preparation | Design talk Thursday at the library; arrive early. | place · date · person | event notes · calendar context |
| Plans with friends | what, where, when | Dinner with Sarah next week; try the place near the station. | person · place · date | social plans · friend context |
| Goals | why it matters, progress, next action | Finish the first draft before adding new sections. | date · idea | goal notes · progress journal |
| Things to try | activities, places, ideas | Try the pottery class Emma mentioned. | person · place · idea | things-to-do log · experience list |
| Wish list | objects, experiences, reasons | A compact camera for travel; prioritise battery life. | idea · date | wish list · future purchase notes |
| Someday projects | ideas without a deadline | Digitise the old family letters and add context. | person · idea | someday list · project ideas |
| Questions for later | things to ask at the right moment | Ask Dad which year the family moved to Galway. | person · place · date | questions-to-ask · history notes |
| Follow-ups | people, promises, next steps | Send Maya the prototype after Wednesday's revision. | person · date · idea | follow-up notes · action context |
| Annual plans | recurring events, seasonal intentions | Book the family weekend earlier next year. | person · date · place | annual planning · recurring notes |
Life reference category
Reflection & self-understanding
| What you might remember | Useful details to capture | Example natural note | Context Onuri can connect | Useful as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gratitude | people, moments, ordinary things | Grateful for the long conversation with my sister tonight. | person · date · idea | gratitude journal · reflection |
| Mood in context | how a day felt and what was happening | Felt energised after finishing the difficult draft. | date · idea | mood context · reflection notes |
| Values | what matters, moments that reveal it | I value unhurried time more than packed itineraries. | idea · date | values journal · self-reflection |
| Patterns | recurring situations, behaviours, themes | I get better ideas after walking than staring at a screen. | place · date · idea | pattern journal · personal insights |
| Confidence | what felt easy or uncertain | Nervous before the talk, comfortable once questions started. | place · date · idea | reflection journal · confidence notes |
| Personal growth | changes in perspective, new abilities | A year ago I avoided this conversation; today it felt normal. | date · person · idea | growth journal · development log |
| Boundaries | decisions about time and attention | No meetings before ten this week; mornings are for focused work. | date · person · idea | boundary notes · life decisions |
| Priorities | what deserves attention now | For September: stability over new features. | date · idea | priority journal · focus notes |
| Interests | new interests, changing tastes | Getting interested in urban history and old maps. | idea · place · date | interest journal · personal knowledge |
| After-event reflection | what changed your mind | After the reunion, I want to stay in touch more deliberately. | person · place · date · idea | event reflection · relationship notes |
If you are deciding how life notes fit into a wider note-taking system, the complete guide to note-taking apps and second brains explains the broader approach.
Private, write-first life tracking
Remember the context, not just the data
Onuri is designed for personal notes and life context rather than specialist medical, fitness, financial, location-surveillance or streak tracking. Write what matters to you, then rediscover it through search and automatic connections.
Read the Life Tracker App guide · Explore Onuri resources · View Onuri on the App Store