When I came back to iOS after years on Android, I didn’t want another folder full of novelty automations. I wanted micro-tools I’d use every day—under 10 seconds, hands-free when possible, and reliable.
This post covers the few that stuck: Log an Idea, Log a Worry, and a Break Timer that respects Focus/DND. They’re boring on purpose—and that’s why they work.
Design rules that made these shortcuts stick
- ≤ 10 seconds end-to-end. If it takes longer, I’ll forget to use it.
- Hands-free first. Must work via Siri, ideally in the car or on a walk.
- One source of truth. Each shortcut writes to a dedicated list so nothing gets lost.
- Widget + Siri + Watch. Triggers everywhere I might need them (Home Screen, lock screen, Apple Watch complications).
- No brittle logic. Prefer stock apps (Reminders/Notes/Calendar) over third-party dependencies.
Shortcut 1: Log an Idea (zero-friction capture)
Goal: Capture ideas the moment they pop up—without opening an app or losing context.
Why it works
- Dictation into Reminders is faster than opening Notes and choosing a folder.
- An “Ideas” list keeps capture and review separate from daily todos.
- Timestamping avoids “what did I mean by this?” later.
What it does
- Prompt for text or dictate via Siri: “Hey Siri, Log an Idea”.
- Create a Reminder in a list named Ideas.
- Append the current time (and optionally location) to the note field.
- (Optional) Tag it
#ideaso you can build Smart Lists/filters later.
Use it
Make it better
- Add a daily review (Calendar event at 17:30 or a repeating Reminder) to triage ideas into tasks or notes.
- On Apple Watch, map it to a complication so it’s truly one tap.
Shortcut 2: Log a Worry (CBT-style worry postponement)
Goal: Get intrusive worries out of your head now and deal with them at a specific, calmer time.
Why it works
- Based on a simple CBT technique: capture now, review later.
- Saying it out loud to Siri is often enough to reduce rumination.
- A dedicated “Worries” list prevents them from polluting everyday tasks.
What it does
- Prompt for the worry (works with dictation in the car).
- Add a Reminder in a list named Worries with your text in the note.
- (Optional) Add a review time (e.g., today 19:00) so you know you’ll revisit it, then snooze until then.
Use it
Make it better
- Create a repeating “Worry Review” event at a consistent hour; batch-process and either resolve, schedule, or delete each item.
- Add a custom tag (e.g.,
#finance,#health) to cluster themes over time.
Shortcut 3: Break Timer (Focus-aware pause button)
Goal: Take a real break without missing important messages—or getting spammed by everything else.
Why it works
- Toggle a Focus (or DND) with exceptions instead of going fully dark.
- The timer automatically restores your previous state so you can’t forget to come back.
What it does
- Ask how long you want (e.g., 10/15/25 minutes).
- Enable a Break Focus or DND with Allow Notifications From (favourites/urgent).
- Optionally set a Slack/Status message if you want visible signals.
- Wait for the duration, then restore your normal Focus.
Tip: Put this on your lock-screen widget; if it’s two taps away, you won’t use it.
Setup notes & troubleshooting
- Lists: Create Ideas and Worries in Reminders first (Shortcuts can do it, but doing it once manually avoids prompts).
- Siri names: Keep shortcut names short and unique (“Log an Idea”, “Log a Worry”, “Break Time”).
- Widgets: Long-press Home Screen → Edit Home Screen → + → Shortcuts → pick your shortcuts.
- Apple Watch: In the Watch app → Complications → add Shortcuts for single-tap use.
- Privacy: Dictations go wherever your default input goes; if sensitive, consider typing or disabling location stamps.
- Reliability: If Siri says “You’ll need to continue in the app,” add a minimal Ask for Input action at the start—oddly, this stabilises hands-free runs.
When to prefer Shortcuts over dedicated apps
Shortcuts shine when the workflow is:
- Simple (one or two steps),
- Frequent (you’ll use it daily/weekly), and
- Better hands-free (driving, walking, or in a queue).
If you find yourself building 20-step trees, that’s a smell—consider a proper app or a different capture target.
Why these survive while others don’t
- They solve one real annoyance each.
- They’re fast (no scrolling or mode-switching).
- They are reviewable (Ideas/Worries lists aren’t where tasks go to die).
- They’re available everywhere (Siri, widget, Watch).
Small automations compound. The win isn’t a single clever Shortcut—it’s the friction you never feel again.
Further reading
- Apple’s Shortcuts guide has good widget and Siri setup tips: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/shortcuts/welcome/ios