This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Victor Barbarosh
Emotional Me: “I hate repeating myself.”
Rational Me: “What did you say?”
Emotional Me: “I just said, I hate repeating myself!!!”
Rational Me: “But you still do it, right?”
Me: …
The Repetitive Trap
“Bananas.”
I type it into my grocery app for what feels like the hundredth time this year. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Sevel letters, every single week.
The “oat milk.” O-A-T-M-I-L-K. Seven more letters I’ve types countless times.
“Bread.” “Lentils.” “Nutritional yeasts.”
Each time, I’m making the same micro-decision: How do I spell this? What quantity do I usually buy? What size? What brand do I prefer?
You know that feeling when you realize you’re solving the same problem over and over again? That’s decision fatigue in action — and it’s happening every time we create a grocery list.
The Developer’s Itch
As a developer, repetitive tasks annoy me pretty quickly. If I’m typing the same code lines repeatedly, I extract them in a function that can be reused (we call it DRY principle, i.e. Don’t Repeat Yourself).
And if I’m solving the same problem multiple times, I build a system. A mobile app system, in this specific case.
Thus, if I’m finding myself typing “B-A-N-A-N-A-S” from scratch every week, why don’t I get rid of this repetitive task as well?
This led to one of Grocery App’s most important features (at least most important to me): item templates with smart suggestion. Here is how it works:
... ItemTemplate {
...
name: “Bananas”;
last_used: “2025-10-31”;
last_price: 5.00;
last_quantity: 4;
last_notes: “Prices go up...”;
...
}Let me show you the magic in action:
Instead of typing “B-A-N-A-N-A-S” from scratch, you see your previously bought items. Notice how it shows usage history, last price, and quantity? That’s your personal shopping intelligence at work.
One tap instead of multiple decisions.
Bonus Feature
If you’re really feeling lazy (like me most Sundays), there’s an even faster way: the CC (Copy/Clone) button. One click creates a copy of your entire previous grocery list. Because let’s be honest, we buy the same stuff every week anyway.
But here is the bigger gain you get from it, since it’s not just about saving keystrokes.
It’s about preserving cognitive energy for decisions that actually matter.
The Transformation
When we eliminate micro-decisions, we create space for macro-choices. Instead of burning metal energy on “How do I spell that ‘broccoli’, again?”, you can focus on “Do I want to try that new recipe this week?”
This is sustainable design in action. Every small friction we remove from routine tasks is energy we can redirect toward more thoughtful consumption. Less time typing means more time considering:
- Do I really need this?
- What will I actually cook?
- How can I reduce waste?
The dropdown arrow seems tiny, but it has a mighty impact on our lives.
Its significance is bigger than just a button: technology should amplify human intention, notdarin human attention.
Next week: The silent waste in our kitchens — how inventory tracking prevents those “three hummus containers in the fridge” disasters.
Building in public and would love your thoughts: What repetitive tasks in your life could benefit from smart templates?
Become an Early Bird (Real Eagle) Tester
Want to experience the dropdown arrow magic yourself? Join our beta testing program and help shape GroceryApp before the official launch.
What you get:
- First access to smart suggestions and item templates
- Direct input on features that matter to you
- A grocery app that learns from your shopping habits
Ready to ditch the “B-A-N-A-N-A-S” typing forever?
How to join: Since this is a closed beta, I need to add you to the testers list first. Drop me a message with your Gmail address and I’ll send you the testing invite!
Your feedback helps build better tools for thoughtful consumption.
The Dropdown Arrow That Changed Everything: How Smart Suggestions Reduce Cognitive Load was originally published in Level Up Coding on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
This content originally appeared on Level Up Coding – Medium and was authored by Victor Barbarosh