In 1968 Dr. Spence Silver, a research scientist for 3M, came up with an unusual adhesive. It formed itself into tiny spheres with a diameter of a paper fiber. The spheres would not dissolve, could not be melted, and were very sticky individually. It was interesting, it was different, and it was useless. Or so they thought.
In 1974, Art Fry, another 3M product development researcher, applied the possibilities of this adhesive that wouldn’t stay stuck to the problem he was having with his hymn book.
Fry’s bookmarks had a habit of fluttering out between services, leaving the member of his St. Paul, Minnesota, choir scrambling. Could the “unglue” be the answer? Fry’s “temporarily permanent” bookmarks proved to be the answer. They worked every bit as well as he’d hoped they would.
Fry set about convincing his higher-ups at 3M of the value of this new product. They remained skeptical, and it took an unusual product trial to get them to see the marketing potential these new bookmarks offered. For this trial, a group of secretaries were given blocks of the new notes. The secretaries came up with more uses for these little yellow notes than anyone dreamed possible. Moreover, they wanted to keep the notes once the trial was over, a sure sign 3M had found a winning product.
By 1990, Post-it Notes were one of the five top-selling office-supply products in America.
But, all that said, I say Post It notes are from the Devil.
Some say they help organize.
Some say they help mark pages.
Some say they are indispensable office supplies.
Nope. They are from the Devil.
First, they unstick from whatever document you’ve used them and take a ride on the bottom of your shoe. They do this every chance they get.
If you use these little bastards as bookmarks, they leave small, square burned-in reminders on every page. Posts Its are made of very acidic paper, so the little squares literally burn their way into your page. Forever reminding you to NEVER use Post Its.
Jot a Post It to remind you of a meeting, and affix it to your computer?
You’ll see they multiply, in the dark of night, creating a veritable wreath of Post Its around your monitor.
Use Post Its on your fridge as a quick shopping list?
Ten bucks says the Post It is there, unread, after you return from your shopping trip. And you still forgot the dish soap.
Use Post Its to communicate with your co-workers?
That’s just passive-aggressive. That has to stop. Put on your pants, and have a real conversation.
Use Post Its to communicate with your family?
That’s just plain sad. Talk, text, or write a real note. Or maybe have dinner together, no cell phones allowed.
I have found that using Post Its just leads to using more Post Its.
You end up needing a 12 step program to quit your toxic Post It habit.
Because Post It notes ARE from the Devil.
