I use index cards. On my desk, I have a stack of blank ones and a "discard" pile of used ones next to it. If I start a new activity, I grab a blank one, date it, and write a title (something like "Meeting with Alice about API standards" or "debugging XXXXXX" where XXXXX is some ticket number or whatever). I use this for notes and "working memory". At the end of the day I transfer anything I need to continue working on to my datebook, our JIRA analogue, or possibly just leave the card "active" at my desk. When I'm done with a card, I put it on the discard pile.
Every so often I empty the discard pile into shoebox for storage. I produce about 3/4 of a shoebox per year so storage isn't really a problem (yet). Since they're all dated and more or less chronological, it's easy to go back and reconstruct what I was doing on a given day, and I can also thumb through them for ammunition come review time.
I currently use 3x5 cards but am thinking about upsizing to 4x6 (postcard size).
Every so often I empty the discard pile into shoebox for storage. I produce about 3/4 of a shoebox per year so storage isn't really a problem (yet). Since they're all dated and more or less chronological, it's easy to go back and reconstruct what I was doing on a given day, and I can also thumb through them for ammunition come review time.
I currently use 3x5 cards but am thinking about upsizing to 4x6 (postcard size).