If you benefit from this channel and you want to say thanks and help me keep producing new content for you, please consider becoming a Patreon patron: www.patreon.com/ParkNotes

People always make fun of me when as a Software product manager, whose job it is to make software more accessibly and easier to use, I always have a notebook and fountain pen on hand to make notes. Analog just works so much better.

May I suggest that you try out 1. reserve the first two "double pages" (page 2-3, and 3-4) for a table of contents? Mostly the important things you want to refer to 2. Give each page a page number (re step 1) 3. If you come back to an idea/project some pages later, say after a couple of pages with the grocery list and meeting notes, then refer back to the starting page number ( p 34) on the starting page for the continued note. Even a previous notebook; e.g. "bk 2, 2021, p.56"? 3. Give the page a title for easy reference in the toc 4. In the toc, just add page numbers to the topic when the topic continues "House renovation: p. 3, 12-14, 34, 45-48" You will find anything very easy, via the toc and you don't need to reserve and guess the number of pages you need for a topic. The toc helps you to just continue with the next note, filling your book page by page. Thank you for keeping the analog tools alive in a digital world 😊

I like to imagine a mueseum curator from 2223 watching this video in an old archival macbook in the basement of the library with your notebooks to one side and hearing you say "they don't need to be able to decipher this in the future" and them giving a small shriek of agony as they realize they're never going to figure out what you were writing in these notebooks

Writing in a physical notebook is an amazing feeling. It really feels like a pause in time, a break from everything, when I write in one

I’ve been keeping Moleskines for about 20+ years now. How much I record in them has varied a lot over time. What gets written down, how, etc. have all evolved. It started in the pre-smartphone era as a way to capture funny things friends said. Now it’s mostly a diary/therapist that doesn’t get shared. I rarely go back to them, but I don’t plan to stop.

I feel embarrassed to share that, I started keeping a black tiny notebook for journal thanks to video game character Soap MacTavish. He inspired me to write and draw the events happened from his viewpoint, sharing his thoughts to not forget himself and others.

I’ve tried Evernote, Google keep, notion, iPhone notes, trello, etc. - but since 2008 nothing has felt more reasonable, consistent and convenient than a simple notebook. Agreed.

Stalogy makes some great notebooks too 👌🏻

The thing with notebook is that, it give you more context on your emotion and idea via handwriting. So that when you reread it, it help recall the exact moment that you write it down. Which mean every journal, is a true capture of your emotion and your thought Every time i read my journal, it like living in that moment, just fantastic

As a person who sometimes forgets the simplest of things & has been struggling with memory loss which im very mocked & humiliated for , I see this idea very clever & helpful

I am a computer programmer who is pretty much always glued to a device in some way. I've noticed my best ideas, even ideas about computer systems, tend to come to me when I'm unplugged. I fully support organizing your thoughts in a fully analog way.

I'm a museum curator among other things, so I'd mostly make sure that the whole pile of your notebooks would be collected and archived, not just an example out of hundreds. And then I would exhibit them as a monumental assemblage and discuss why we need materiality for information processing and knowledge-building. I'm myself moving between planners, journals and notebooks, but my "inbox" for thoughts is usually a Moleskine notebook. Digital apps are for teamwork and keeping track of milestones.

As a therapist I use journaling quite a bit with my clients. I also use it teaching Youth Group and the ones who use the skill of writing often have much more growth than those who don’t. It’s an amazing tool

With how much brain dead content there is on KZfaq, it is so satisfying to finally watch a video about deep, critical thinking, and an advocacy for pulling away from the digital world. Fantastic video, thank you!

Glad I found this video. I used to carry sketchbooks around everywhere back when I was drawing and sketching. Eventually I started writing notes and random thoughts in them. I stopped doing that a few years ago, but now feels like a good time to go back to that as my mind seems to be very cluttered, overwhelmed, and anxious almost all the time.

I've kept a personal journal for 15 years and in the last 12 months have been keeping a pocket to keep notes. I have a leather notebook cover with two feild notes pocket notebooks: one as a dot point, to-do list and one as a notebook for ideas or things I've read that I need to remember. It's been so useful.

I love using these :) I scarcely remember anything important without these. When I was 8, I thought I'd never be capable of any type of anything because I was so disorganised and messy. But nowadays, I've impressed myself with how far I've come - I've gotten more organised than many people who've had organisation come naturally to them since childhood.

I’ve bought so many notebooks and consumed tons of journaling/note-taking/productivity type content over the years, but only started actually doing it after watching your videos. Thank you and keep up the good work, Parker!

"I've captured my ideas and then I can reflect on them whenever I want" that makes so much sense, I guess I was doing this instinctively with the notes in my phone, but a notebook seems so much more permanent and safe. I'll definitely start carrying one now

im not a great thinker so i haven't been able to fill a pocket notebook with deep thoughts but i used this idea to create a pocket book of mini collages for each of my goals this year with my favourite quotes and it's saving me so much! it's great for whenever i need a boost of motivation or inspiration and i can take it with me everywhere! i can't thank you enough for this!

Ive been journaling since a very young age and I remember that as a child I expressed that I perceived my notebooks as the outer storage of my brain. Basically like an external hard drive you got some incredible insight in something I've felt for years. struggle with keeping up traditional journaling since I went digital because it's far easier on the go for a student, but I've changed my mind. The information noise must be getting to us all I really liked your delivery, it's very soothing yet informative. You're a breath of fresh air on a platform that notoriously tries to divert our attention 💓 earned a like from me

As someone with ADHD, having a Rite in the Rain notebook with me at all times has proven to be ESSENTIAL for getting through my ever-evolving work day, can’t stress this enough!

As i saw the thumbnail of this video, i just grabbed my notebook. I realized that i've never finish that notebook since 2019. I directly wrote again on that notebook and commited to write every single day and bring it again anywhere. It's amazing to check out some ideas from old me back then. Thank you for the video!

Thanks to you and couple of other youtubers I'm now exploring the meditative joy of writing down stuff. It totally becomes the part of my thinking and my life in general and I'm loving it. Cheers!

I’m 30 seconds in and I had to pause and subscribe. I clicked because I LOVE notebooks, and then when you said you were a student of Philosophy and wanted to encourage people to think deeply, I did not wanna lose your channel in the KZfaq ocean. I’m excited to listen to your thoughts and perspectives. 🥰

I have been using pocket notebooks for decades in the maintenance and technical industry. My co-workers look at me as a very old school person, especially in this digital age. Paper doesn’t fail under power outages, and granted, you might have to dig a little bit for the information, but it will always be there. I’ve heard several cases where notes that were taken and placed in these pocket notebooks have stood up in court as a record of maintenance in critical operations. Nice video!

Thank you for this, I have been journaling everyday since mid October and gives me a lot of clarity and put everything into perspective. I never ever plan on stopping 🙏🏻

Thanks for sharing your system!!!! I bought my first pocket notebooks at the beginning of last month. I have a very small one that fits on the palm of your hand and another the same size as the notebooks on this video. I use my tiny notebook for reflecting on my own DREAMS! I call it my dream journal and I take it everywhere I go. I have written much on my ideal home, lifestyle, and other important notes on designing my life.

Thank you for the "chew the idea", it's a simple way of elaborate a very deep concept. Ideas are not sparks to leave by themselves and I try to remember this every day

As someone with a very active outdoor background and lifestyle I would agree. Its an amazing tool to save ideas, thoughts, questions, what have you that you will want to come back to. With that being said the leather bound is amazing but for anyone looking for a notebook thats tough write in the rain is awesome.

Omg! I’ve found my people! Lol. I have so many notebooks and journals etc and I’m always buying more for later. I love seeming how someone else organizes their thoughts and their books. I’m currently going through five full ones to extract the juicy bits and try to organize my thoughts by categories…glad to have found this channel 🥰

I had come to this conclusion also some time ago, i bought some pocket notebooks with the idea of writing new languages that i am trying to learn, math to exercise my brain, and to write ideas same as you. Its been 6 months and have done none of that hahaha. But seeing your video for sure its gonna make me go and do it once and for all. Really good video friend.

I've been keeping a diary planner since 2003 and haven't stopped since. It's sort of become a yearly tradition. Back in 2012 when I started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I would take notes on pertinent details of techniques especially variations to submissions, transitions ,etc and the act of writing down such ideas in my own words made the technique become more 'fluent' and recall was wayyyy easier. And those who know, are aware that BrazilianJiuJitsu techniques go to infinity

“thinking is not about efficiency.” that section from 7:38 - 7:58 is absolutely brilliant. it takes a lot of work to get clear with oneself. you follow that up with the challenge of then *being* clear with others. thinking deeply and truly facing ourselves is perhaps the hardest, yet the most worthwhile work we could ever be tasked with. and that is the task of our lifetime! fantastic video!

Love this. I use multiple notebooks and planners day to day for work and life. I like being able to compartmentalizing as well. I’ve tried using other types of software but I still prefer the notebooks. I have a moleskin xl for a journal, an arc planner with tabs for work planning, one for life things, a lifeline notebook for day-to-day notes at work, a write in the rain pocket notebook for when I’m working in the field, etc. and I use a “mind journal” brand daily check in notepad to organize my thoughts and feeling for the day, and start my day with a rough outline of what I need to accomplish, things I’m grateful for, daily intentions, etc.

I love the idea of a pocket notebook, I use it next to my bullet journal; I write the date of the day, my to do list and then I would fill the "to remember" part with Ideas that comes to my mind through out the day. At night I would take a look back to those ideas fillter them and schedule when I want to explore them) If you made it here, you are so lovely

Couldn't agree more! I carry a FieldNotes graphed notebook pretty much daily. I keep it stashed in a simple leather cover that I won at a Story Slam event about four years ago. Fits in the back pocket perfectly and takes up virtually zero space. So much better for my brain than trying to use my phone!

Just a few nights ago I got the idea to start journaling, I am an artist and I know for me that it is easier to remember things if I have an image to associate with it. I use my smaller sketchbook now for art and art ideas, Bible studies, language studies- anything I want, anything I'm learning, anything I'm thinking! I've found I feel much more motivated to do all these things when I have something physical to put my thoughts down onto. Motivated now to get a smaller Moleskin to bring along with me, thank you for the interesting video!

Great video. I’ve done the same for the last 4 years. The only addition I would add is that I’ve added a Bullet Journaling type index to the front to help locate idea themes or topics when I come back. You can make the indexing as complicated or simple as you like. For example I have quotes, ideas, notes, recipes, to do etc. game changer

as an artist and a musician, i’ve been carrying around a tiny notebook for a few months!! i just finished my first one and i’ve started another. i have to say, it has greatly enhanced my creativity and critical thinking! it’s not reserved for art and lyrics, but also thoughts and journal entries and lists. i’ve seriously recommended it to everyone i care about. it’s life changing!!

I think the best advice is to record your thought immediately, wherever you are. The times I’ve turned my watch strap around to remember to research a thought and then arrived somewhere knowing there was something I was going to delve into but now I can’t remember what it was. Also the unique quality of a notebook is the capacity to sketch a thought or illustrate an idea. Paper and writing instruments are a tactile experience. The writing can vary with circumstances. I had girlfriend once, who’s handwriting was so tiny, it was barely readable without spectacles, it perfectly matched her quiet outward demeanour. Handwriting analysis, that’s another interesting subject to google. I’ll make a note of that.

I love this video ! I’ve been doing this for years but not as organized and dated as yours…. I am going to use your system now ! Thank you ! How fortunate you are doing this as such a young age !

i've been watching technically all your videos and i came to the conclusion, that you are truly a rare gem on youtube! keep up the good work!:)

I keep two notebooks with me at all times. One of them is the leuchtturm that you have shown here. The other one is a thin pocket notebook about the size of a fieldnotes notebook. I use the field notes notebook for to-do lists, quick notes, and anything I will NEED to recall at a later date. The leuchtturm, I use to capture thoughts. The things that race through my mind that I don't necessarily have the time to continue thinking about in the moment, but that I don't want to lose for not writing it down. More often than not, if I am sitting down to just write and reflect, I use the leuchtturm.

I’ve really been enjoying Leutchturm 1917 notebooks over moleskine but the best so far that I’ve recently switched over to is an Art Creation sketchbook by Talens. The paper is exquisite for fountain pens and has more paper than either a L1917 or a Moleskine. The cover is also sturdier and the pocket version is about $8 which is a steal! The only drawback is that since it’s a sketchbook it’s unruled but I actually really like it. Would recommend trying it!

I´m 45. I´m using this since the 80´s. NOTHING beats paper and a good pen for your most important tasks. There´s no distractions, unwanted porpaganda or whataver. Old school is cool and works.

I have several random tiny books that I would carry with me to write down words I want to research. I am glad this popped up on my you tube page, I have a love of philosophy. Can't wait to see your videos.

Man it’s so crazy. I have always loved the idea of keeping a journal but I have never been able to! I recently stumbled onto the idea of the commonplace notebook and fell in love with it! I love to acquire knowledge but before never found the gumption to note it down and I simply think it’s because I had the understanding of the idea of a ‘journal’ and it was an instant turn off. Now, because I have sort of ‘rebranded’ the idea in my mind I have been able to keep a pocket notebook on me and have used it every single day and it’s been about two months! I absolutely love the aesthetic of the pocket notebooks and my absolute favorite are those smaller Leuchtturm pocket notebooks you presented with the two bookmarks. I use it to record all kinds of things. It’s sort of my working thoughts and I record (will record) them into a larger Leuchtturm notebook. I keep prayer requests also and it’s been a really good method to keep myself ruminating on that as well as other thoughts. I’m even teaching myself Russian. This is such a cool system and it’s literally a way for me to escape reality and just be with my thoughts. The aesthetic is a win too because it keeps me coming back to it.

Thank you for this video (and content in general). I am a cancer researcher and constantly thinking. No matter what digital platform I have tried I always come back to a catch all notepad to document everything, then I save them to review what I have accomplished and what ideas keep coming up in my work. Some ideas I will take a picture of to keep a digital version, or I will remove that page and paste into the next notebook. The one analog/digital hybrid I have enjoyed are Rocketbooks. The combine writing, digitization and reusable packaging.

as a young teenager i find that the way I think is quite different than most of my peers. I decided to give this poket notebook thing a go but I couldn't really find a good way to use it. This video opened the catch-all notebook idea to my mind and now I feel as tho I can properly express myself through my pocket notebook. Big thanks ParkNotes!

ordering a pocket note book today, thank you for this im excited to have been able to stumble across this. this seems efficient in terms of holding onto ideas and implementing them into my daily life and not letting them be gone with the wind. also trying be on my phone way less and just let my mind be free

Great video - thanks! I have started using a Field Notes notebook loaded into a Mission Leather Co. Memo Wallet. So far (5 weeks), it’s great because I now carry my notebook as my wallet wherever I go, so I am constantly making notes, writing down thoughts, and journaling whenever I feel like I need to process something on the fly.

I've been keeping a Field Notes notebook on my person for the sole purpose of capturing quotations. From books I'm reading, or conversations I'm having, I want to capture quotations that stick out to me that I could use in my own writing or just think about them on my own. I also like having it handy because then I don't need to memorize every quote and I can pull it out and just read it. Too many times in my life where I've been grasping for a quote but have to resort to a poor summary of it rather than actually giving the full quote 😆 Absolutely great content as always!

I thought about having notebooks like you have shown, but you have brought me second inspiration, and now I also want to have another one. Just want to say you thank you❤

Nice video. For more years than I care to remember I have been involved in office work and using computers and have tried countless digital note taking applications but still I return to hand written notes. I am not capturing deep thoughts or personally creative ideas but just the stuff that needs to get done or I think needs to get done. The process of writing it down - and sometimes migrating it because I have not done it helps me think about the task in questions. This, I think is similar to your process. The ideas and tasks need to be mulled over. The convenience of digital applications makes the management of the tasks easier while removing the processing from your brain. Thanks for your efforts. And yes I think you are externalising your mind.

Great video! And love seeing all your leather covers - those are a must! I've been keeping a catch-all pocket notebook for years, either in a Passport size Traveler's Notebook or a pocket Moleskine, and it's on me whenever I'm out and about. During trips I jot down the where's and what's until I have time for more extensive journaling - and a trip debrief on what worked/didn't work; use it to write down notes from doctor's appointments or from videos I watch while waiting to pick up the kids; fragments of conversations I overhear; prayers I read; things to check out...etc. I've only recently started adding a table of contents to the front 1-2 pages to capture more important topics and make them easier to find. I do need to get better at reviewing the pages and moving certain things to other more permanent places or collections, or to make sure I take action if needed, like you've shown in your video.

This was a great video. I’ve always felt like a weirdo too because I like analog better. Even though as an IT person who’s always around tech I feel like paper helps me focus. But I’ve always felt strange and the anxiety of shouldn’t you write in a computer keeps me from using my notebooks. Kind of weird note taking paralysis. This makes me feel better about wanted to use analog more.

Thank you for taking the time to create this! You’re someone we should aspire to! Certainly not weird :)

I just got into using a P.N. my senior year of high school and still am. It’s been mad helpful to jot down some new sht I thought of- not to mention how hand it is for writing songs or poems too. Shts dope and I’m glad I’m not the only one

Hello! I suggest you to try using pencil instead of a pen. And the reason for this is pretty simple, if your notebook will get wet it's much harder for pencil writings to disappear compared to ink. It was one of the things we were taught during our field practice. I can approve that ink is easy to wash off. If you find pencil writings too dim you can use softer pencil. If you don't want to sharpen the pencil, you can use mechanical pencils. Though I found that sharpening process helps with the mood and thoughts. To be honest, I tend to use pens more when I know I won't be anywhere where my notebook can get wet. Ink has it own benefits and appeal.

I really like seing your videos and how the recommendations are really just that! Not an obligation to buy or half the video, just another dot in the list. You have great ideas and also you express them very clearly! I usually have 3 types of notebooks: the external ones, the internal ones, and the "keeping" ones. The external ones are pocket sized, for to do lists or any kind of list or note that has something to do with the world and how I live in it. The internal ones are for thoughts, analyzing emotions, posivity and realizing stuff that's more internal (because it feels weird to have a page with "groceries" and the other one "about how I see friendship"). The keeping ones are the size of half a notebook (because they're cut notebooks) and every stuff that needs to be kept for a long time is there. Stories, drawings, knitting patterns, to be read, an entire list of my music, gmails, everything important is there.

Recently I've been having sooo many ideas, and now you convinced me to get a catch-all pocket notebook. I am excited to use it😁

This is going to help me so much bro. Thank you so much for this. This will save me time, help me be more productive, and eventually over time make me so much money. The 12 minutes I spent watching this video will likely end up being the most productive & profitable 12 minutes I'll spend this year.

I do this too from I was very young without even realizing it until I saw your video, the notebook collections are so satisfying looking back😉✨️

I'm old. I used Day-Timer planners from the mid '80s. I referred to them as my Backup Brain. I didn't need to memorize everything because i wrote it down when it was fresh in my mind. And not being online or a temporary device protects it from being lost, hacked, spied on. I can pull out a planner from 20 years ago and see exactly what i did on any given day. Also what i spent, and sometimes what i ate, weighed, exercised, felt, if it was a full moon or not, etc. You can't do that with a digital device I never need to upgrade my analog notes. There isn't a new version that prevents me access to earlier notes, no monthly fee. It baffles me how people want to create digital planners .. I even saved my wall calendar each year because it was part of the system. And i kept a journal to write in at the end of the day

Yes I enjoyed this thanks. I carry various sizes to capture drawings thoughts and ideas. Nice to hear your thoughts on chewing I need to do that more. I love hearing others talk about this, makes me feel less weird. And no judgement about repeating things.

Love this. I started carrying around analog notebooks again too...My brother the writer was always asking me to write my thoughts regularly so we could collaborate on projects...

bought a new pocket notebook after watching your short, and was eagerly waiting for this video. Great work appreciate it.

As someone who has dissociative identity disorder (did for short. Aka multiple personality disorder) keeping a journal is something that is highly common. It helps keep the thoughts of all headmates consistent and helps with giving a headmate a safe space. I have tried journaling knowing it could help my DID but it was never something i could really invest my time in. I love writing but it just got to confusing for me. Also having to cary around a big notebook was tricky. This small catch all idea is very smart! Thank you. I may actually try this out.

A habit i started when using a notebook was to write the date every time i made an entry, this gave context as frequently id look at an entry and couldnt remember when id made the entry. Also, if its a " to do " entry, id put a line diagonally through the paragraph if id accomplished the task. Good video, top work.

Honestly, as someone who has always had a hard time processing information and my own thoughts, I think I’m gonna try this. Plus, I’m always thinking about DnD , and this would be great for remembering things on the fly

I think we are too hasty to try and make EVERYTHING as efficient as possible. Sometimes being less efficient is beneficial in other ways. Note taking for example, it's proven when writing putting your mind to pen and paper is better and helps you remember/flesh out the ideas more. Also like you mentioned, less distractions than having to put items on a phone or tablet. I just started journaling this year and am thinking about picking up a small notebook like this to carry with me throughout the day because I always find myself making notes in random places.

It took me a long time to find my method of journaling/Note taking/memorization methods....etc and your videos have helped me tremendously, thank you. The thing I learned most about my self is that : My mind could never do this. I tried some methods but now, I have one notebook. before I write any idea in it, I have to think about that idea deeply and summarize it in a few paragraphs. It may go away, but I know that my subconscious mind will still think of it. When watching TV, reading a book, listening to classes, or hearing someone say something, the idea I had starts to link up slowly. The idea is no longer just an idea; it becomes a thought. IF however I was to write that idea, my brain would just take it as it is and then never return to it again. I don't know if I explained this right because I'm too tired, LMAO. But if you basically look at a picture of something, and you take it as it is, it will always be 1D, that will be all you see it as. The more you know things around that thing, the more layers build, and it eventually turns into a 3D image of that thing, it becomes real, it becomes a part of your brain. As for memories, I really can't explain it, but somehow, I can go into that memory and see it from an outsider's viewpoint, so that helps, LMAO. but if anything, the more journals I had the harder it was to remember? when I kept one journal (I fr wrote 20 pages in it during months and months of brain burning and building and rebuilding), I found links between ideas and thoughts that I didn't even consider were previously possible. if anyone has read this, I hope what I said can give you an idea on how to go about your journaling. mine is still a work in progress and will forever be. GL

This is recommended in an adult ADHD workbook I have and, before I fell out of the habit, this was onenof the best things I've ever done. Im glad I saw this because I seriously need to start up again

I have recently started to use your method. I have a pocket notebook for capturing quotes, a moleskine for my commonplace book, and another moleskine for a finance commonplace. After your last video it encouraged me to compartmentalize, which I thought was a bad idea. But, it actually helps. I might incorporate a flash card system that allows me to boil things thing down to their essence (Ryan Holiday method).

As a bit of a fountain pen enthusiast, I pretty much stock with Leuchtturm for all of my notebooks; be they for keeping a diary, bullet journaling, or notebooks for learning a foreign language, I find them pretty consistently reliable. Depending on the specific fountain pen, the nib size, and the ink, it can ghost (i.e. what you wrote is visible from the other side of the page), but I don't really care much about that. On rare occasions I have experienced some bleedthrough, but that is if I use a pretty wet ink in a pretty wet pen, so more human error than really a failing of the Leuchtturm paper.

This is a very random reflection, but I think I've noticed a lot of filler in my speech that often plays the roles of rhythm maintenance, and familiarity by the user for processing density. This was a very thought provoking video, thank you!

I keep a small notebook/personal diary in my pocket everywhere I go. Either to take notes or write down thoughts and feeling I'm having in the moment. Some of the most insightful and therapeutic self-realizations have come from verbalising my deep thoughts and feelings with paper and a pencil.

Some great concepts. Thanks for sharing. I have a similar "notebook always on hand" philosophy, but use all sorts of paper based capture devices - ring bound, disc bound, even just a bunch of cards kept together with a clip.

ParkNotes is starting to convince me that I need a notebook

Incredible Lesson I Practice This Greatly with Tablets Amazing Help for My Comfort Sadly and Intensely Destructive too Shall Recommend This Tactic to Anybody Thank You so Much for Discussing This You’re a Great Man Thank You

I have thought about keeping a pocket notebook for a long time, but after watching this video I will carry one with me soon. Great video man !

I just stared carrying a Field Notebook this week. Great video and thanks for sharing your methodology

I use a A5 size bullet style notebook with daily logs (todos, meeting notes, etc.). Then I have pocket notebooks that I take to the restaurant, to the playground, etc. Each pocket notebook has a number and whenever anything is written in there, it gets referenced in the daily log book with book number and page number, thus the bullet journals ties everything together.

I have been using Log+Jotter notebooks for a couple years now. Not as dignified as a Field Notes book, but their monthly designs and idea prompts are a fun feature. They also let you choose between line, dot, or graph paper. The covers are more durable too. I reserve my Field Notes for my desk or other things that will keep them nice.

Thank you for sharing you have inspired me to write in and to complete memo pads that I have lying around as other pieces of paper that I can write down and complete. Also, I will use pens to make them more permanent markings where I am not tempted to correct the errors and just move on in general. I recommend having two voice recorders one for creative writing or serious thoughts and one for tracking your everyday experiences if that makes sense. Once they are full or one of them then you can practice transcribing your thoughts on paper.

I tend to think in a more narrative style so for that reason I carry a slightly larger notebook (an a6 STALOGY right now but sometimes a normal size moleskine) because sometimes it takes me a paragraph or two to get down what I’m trying to get down, and I move the more important, workable ideas directly into a digital commonplace I have set up in Google drive, but other than that our systems are very similar ♥️ Having a notebook on me at all times is a deeply ingrained habit that I can’t imagine not having now. I feel like I haven’t actually had a proper thought unless it’s written down lol

I moved from notebooks to index cards to catch thoughts. I still keep some subject notebooks to transfer important thoughts to later. For thought capturing I have a bunch of coloured index cards held together with a binder clip. Re organizing thoughts is easier and I can get some specialty cards (grids, blank, portrait lined) also old and or obsolete entries can be pulled and left at home in a box so I don't have to carry them with me anymore. Finally, if I'm writing something for someone else I can hand it over without ripping into a book.

I'm a creative writer who is trying to get published. I've been experimenting with digital notetaking systems to jot down ideas but sometimes I find them a little frustrating. I love writing in a digital word processing environment but for some reason, jotting down notes of musings and inspirations for my writing isn't working out the same way as using word processing software for my text. A friend of mine who knows me very well suggested a while back ago that I carry a notebook for capturing ideas and your video has further inspired me to try the physical notebook approach.

The idea of an “external mind” i feel was already synthesized into the “building a second brain” concept. Your video is recommended to me because of this concept. If you haven’t looked into this, it’s a great starting point to learn how your brain works. It helped me learn about how my brain compartmentalizes things, and because i understand that, I can find ways to tweak it and improve the way I learn and remember things.

The museum curator hahahahha that thought always comes to me when I write. Great video!!!

Wow i finnaly relised that all i needed in life is 20 pocket notebooks to carry with me! Thanks man, you saved my mind!

omg same phone background! Love this video a lot! I recently watched a very spooky video about phone addiction and this feels like a really great replacement for the phone (especially the notes app)

that one statement got me subscribe you " i see a billion thing in my mobile phone but i don't see my ideas" that's so true i felt this this just few month ago a started to keep a diary with me afterwards.

Did I see "Does God care if the cats win?" If so, this is the right video.

Notebooks are quite useful for people who do a lot of problem solving. You often have multiple possible tactics for solving a problem and before you dive deep on a particular one, you want to survey the possibilities so you don't forget if the first solution doesn't work. Or for offloading problem solving there isn't time left in the day to tomorrow morning. I find however when problems are intractible notebooks are anti-help and cause you to focus on the hopelessness of a situation, and there is some research to support this I recall. For toy problems like philosophy I suppose it can never get that bad :) For just ideas... it's okay, if you plan to do it in the next few days. Otherwise a waste of time, as you said they're half baked until you really dig into them. It's like a diy writing prompt I guess.

Our handwriting and note taking style is strikingly similar. I can read myself, but other people struggle with it. At first I thought I had to "improve" my handwriting in order to take better notes, but now I think I just have to do what it works for me, just like you do.

This has finally convinced me to switch to analog bc i’ve struggled with digital systems for so long. This was a good perspective shift which i appreciate a lot, thank you!

One biggest problem with me with ANY notebook and specifically tiny ones, is my handwriting. I need to fix my handwriting before I can do notebooks to make it readable or else it looks like I put code 😂 I’m definitely gonna try this out, such a well thought out video and thing that gets overflowed with electronics. Nothing better than the physical thing, y’know. Also gives it personality. I alway use my Notes on my phone, but I find it better to write physically because the mental energy it gets put into it. You feel with the writing