How Your Notes App Can Save You Time

Asalaamu Alaykum,

Welcome to the Dadhood newsletter, your companion on this journey of fatherhood as a Muslim dad.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• ✏️ How Ibrahim (AS) interacted with his son Ismail (AS)

• ⏳ How using your notes app can save you time

• 🎙️ The latest Dadhood podcast episode

• 😂 A Bluey meme!

Before getting into that, in the last email I did say I would share a bit more about my background. I’m 27 years old married with two children (Esa 4, Sara 3) and I live in Watford. I studied Politics, Philosophy & Economics at University and then worked for MEND, Islam Channel and now working for Muslim Kids TV

For the next few emails we will breaking down this interaction between Ibrahim (AS) and his son Ismail (AS). What I have highlighted here shows the importance of using the best mannerisms when speaking to our children. When Ibrahim (AS) starts this conversation with his son, he addresses him in the most sweetest and kindest way. As a result, Ismail (AS) responds in an equally sweet and kind manner to his father as he modelled his mannerisms after his fathers’.

Utilise the label feature in the notes app!

Making a note of what to buy in the supermarket is quite obvious for most of us but we don’t often make a note of the more important things. As busy fathers we have to keep a tab of so many things in our household that it can become easy for us to forget certain things, which only slows us down.

How many times have you had to rush around to try to find your NI number, your Wi-Fi password, an order reference number for that item you are trying to return? How many times have you told yourself you’ll fix that wobbly chair, buy that book you have been meaning to read, read that parenting article that was sent to you? How many times have you had an amazing business idea or made a plan in your head to achieve a goal and then suddenly forgotten about it?

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Create a list of labels in your notes app. These labels are categories for every possible thing you need to note down in your life.

2. Make a note of the various things you know you are likely to forget and attach it with the relevant label

Here are a few of my go-to labels:

• “Important information” Under this label I have information such as: Wifi password, NI number, Passport number, Driver license number, Glasses prescription, Passwords for random accounts I am likely to forget.

• “Articles” Whenever I come across an article that I can’t read right now or I want to keep as a reference I add the link into my notes app and label it under this

• “Links” Under this label I will find the notes that have links for all of my regular online classes. Like the zoom link for my Quran class, or the register link for the madrassah I teach at.

• “Naseeha” Whenever I come across a good Islamic reminder that I know I could use later in a halaqa or a gathering I will make a note of it and attach this label so its easy to find.

So now, instead of wasting your time scouring through emails, messages or saved items in your social media accounts, you can click on the relevant label in your notes app and find what you need straight away!

Here is another productive hack but this time from my guest Ahtisham. Timecode 23.16 - 24.34

Ahtisham uses time blocks for all of his family activity, whether that be chores, meal times or household errands. He then adds his work tasks and other personal items in between. He shares these time blocks on an app which his wife also has access to, so they are both clear on what needs to be done in the day and when their significant other will be busy with other things.

That’s all for this installment of the Dadhood newsletter. You can get back to looking for discount codes for that new BBQ grill you will never buy.

I am new to this whole newsletter thing so please hit reply and give me your feedback so I can serve you better.

Jazakum Allahu Khayr for reading!