Diaries: Cognitive Tools for Organizing Daily Life

How do the different ways of using diaries (paper, electronic, calendar, Post-it note, etc.) reveal the work behind the articulation of activities and how, through it, does the concern emerge to separate spheres of belonging? Articulating social activities can be a complex cognitive task, especially when it involves managing a multiplicity of activities and dealing with heterogeneous and uncertain timeframes. Time management is supported by cognitive artefacts such as diaries which, among other things, reduce the effort of memorizing and planning. Based on the analysis of uses of diaries, the author shows the conditions under which these artefacts facilitate the articulation of activities, or not. The spheres of diary exchange and sharing can weigh on writing strategies and thereby make their use restrictive. We also see that users seek to establish a boundary between the private and professional spheres, to preserve their autonomy and personal lives.