How do you keep track of your backlog?

[Sceptile Master]

Well, how do you keep track of your backlog/whatever you kids wanna call it these days?


Technically, I don't. Not externally, anyway. I did it by memory for a while, just mainly watching what I could whenever I could. I did some occasional posting on here for currently watching/just finished anime to help me remember and boost my post count. But soon enough I inevitably evolved into the giant weeb I am today and had to use MAL for a while. And yes, while they got hacked, that isn't what made me stop using them.

Meticulously keeping track of everything I've ever watched/read, planned to watch/read, am holding off on watching/reading, and stopped watching/reading and whatever else started to make things feel like such a chore. (It didn't help that unless I were to make a custom spreadsheet, MAL didn't support doing things like having just watched a random episode of something, dubs/adaptations of anime, and other more little detailed but significant things). For me, I wanted to be able to enjoy things like the good-ol' days again. At this point, I've gone back to just watching things without keeping any sort of [constructive?] backlog at all and it feels so freeing. I have scattered notes/lists and such of where I've left off on some anime/manga, and some stuff I wanna watch/read, but I'm mainly relying on my memory, and they're something I'd discard at a point in the future, as long as I remember.


So TLDR I don't keep a backlog really, I just let my mind do nearly if not all the work, and hopefully I can keep it that way. But what about you guys?

(Yes, I realize backlogs don't just apply to anime/manga, but I'm talking exclusively about anime/manga here. They seem to be the most common application of a backlog for media today, anyway).

 

[TheWanderingMist]

I don't keep a backlog other than memory. I just pick up something that seems interesting and finish it. I almost never choose not to finish something.

 

[Kutie Pie]

I use MAL (with backups elsewhere) because I clearly have a problem and watching that completed list grow has made my mind reel. Like There's that much anime out there to find and watch??? and I have no life, help! reeling. On the occasion I am unable to get to my list for updates, depending on the length of time and/or where I am, I will use my memory or I jot it down someplace temporary.