I have been using an A4 or A5 notebook for 20+ years at work.. they keep my notes from meetings, actions, definitions of the million acronyms we use, and my own to do’s which have a star in a circle next to them that gets crossed out when done. Sometimes, when super busy, I use a highlighter to cross out stuff I’ve done. At various points in time I’ve printed out a special to do list template that includes the due date and the name of the person for whom I need to do the thing... but that usually gets binned - it tends to be of the most use when I’m working on multiple projects and not so necessary for the single project I’ve been on for the past 7 years! These books hit the bin after a few years... they have served their purpose and I rarely if ever refer back to them. Sometimes just the action of capturing notes during a meeting is a comforting thing.
For my own notes and scribbles I always end up back at the apple notes app on my iPad that I can use with the Apple Pencil. I copy and paste stuff from other places or just scribble in my own words notes and calculations. Apparently it can now search on handwritten notes.. which is something I wish I could do with my work paper notebook😂! I’ve just started using the reminders app for to do lists.. work in progress!
The number one thing though, that digital books fail on... and I don’t know what the solution is yet... is the ability to flip through a book in the way that one does with a paper book. This one thing ensures paper books are superior! Just need to add a search engine to them - indexes are hit and miss even if a book has one!
Yep, there's nothing like a handwritten book. I even like the feel of the paper after it's been written on, particularly if you've used a ballpoint. I've seen someone use #hashtags in the margin or bottom edge of a book, as a way to find things quickly - worth a thought? You'd spot them when you flicked through. I'm going to give it a whirl. Re. the apple pencil, I have an old one, so it's nearly always out of charge if I think to use it and it's a pain to charge. I've never really got used to the slippery feel on the glass. I daren't even look at a Remarkable tablet...
Loved reading this Izzy, whilst surrounded by 10 million bits of paper that I was attempting to sort!
Do you think we secretly like sorting through them? I keep them in boxes then occasionally go back through them and cheer when something actually got done! Sometimes I act on ideas I had 5/10 yrs ago!! Somehow the ideas have to be floating around me, the most important bits of paper are now stuck on the wall! I've decided it's the only way 😂
Yes! It's a very satisfying evening activity - I settle myself by the fire, open up the box file and have a rifle, pretending to 'sort'. Of course I do no such thing, and put them all back - maybe one or two will stay out, then sit on my desk for a while. Very occasionally I may act on them, and yes - it's like closing a loop, no matter how old the idea! It's very satisfying to finally tick off something you first thought of years ago.
These are wonderful ways of "data wrangling" Izzy. Thank you. My intention this year is to start each day with a plan for the day written in a lined sprial backed notebook. So far so good. :) I like the idea of a Commonplace Book, I'm going to try that out.
My “commonplace book” is more for class, guild meeting and workshop notes. There’s a company called Attic Journals in the US that collects books from our libraries and remakes them as spiral bound with blank sheets. It’s the original cover and story. So it’s cute, unique, and does something good for the world. I really like when I finish one, but you can also have them add pages if you like them bigger. So the rest of my stuff might not be very organized, but my class stuff is happy.
Ooh, that sounds wonderful! I've seen people using old books to create sketchbooks and art journals, but not seen them repurposed into properly useful (not the right words, because art IS useful but you know what I mean) books!
Izzy, I too love your writing, and having seen some of your videos I hear your actual voice and lovely accent (or my head’s botched version of it) as I read your newsletter.❤️ I struggle with notes and pretty books (and where is the @%*^ pen?) and bits of post-it notes. If I take nothing else, I downloaded the recipe app and uploaded about 20 recipes I had sitting in open windows on my I-pad. Having now closed those window, it should run a little faster.😉 Now to find something as efficient for crafting/sewing/etc ideas that are currently open windows!
Aw, that’s made my day! Shall I tell you a horror story? The other day I was trying to find a link for someone, from one of my open tabs…next thing, chrome crashes and I LOSE THE LOT! It’s happened a few times over the years, brings me to tears (or swearing) because on iPad I can’t get them back without trawling my history…and some go back…erm…a long time. I’m trying to keep my shiny new browser window clean, and I’m putting "interesting links", the sort of open tabs of the past, into either Pocket or a list on Notion. Then closing those tabs, obviously 🫣
Izzy, I absolutely adore your writing. I was reading while eating some homemade soup I’m hoping will banish the ick for good. I spat out my soup on more than one occasion laughing in camaraderie.
I too struggle with one place to keep it all, and also have a collection of notebooks to beautiful to write in. 😒 Last year I ditched the notebook and instead bought some colourful printer paper. I wrote notes on that instead and placed them in a paper holder on my desk. Then every couple weeks (or months) I would go through them and place them in paper folders, tossing anything that didn’t need keeping. So now rather than a bursting notebook I have bursting folders that I come back to. So far it’s worked better than trying to remember which notebook I wrote down that stroke of brilliance.
That’s the point though isn’t it. Allowing ourselves the space to be curious about how something can work for us, not us work for it.
And obviously I’m quite keen to hear your KanBan experience!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. And I love your last sentence - the space to be curious about what works for us, not us work for it. Unsurprisingly, I have many thoughts on this for another time 🙂 Hope you’re feeling better soon. I almost showed you my kanban on Friday, but it didn't seem appropriate :)
I’ve had an A4 ‘Day book’ (commonplace book?) for years and everything goes in there plus a moleskin diary with a week on one page and a blank page for notes for day to day lists and organising and that pretty much works. I did try bullet journals for a couple of years but they didn’t work any better than the diary... and I can’t be arsed to make them pretty.
Of course that’s not say there aren’t scribbles on random bits of paper everywhere too and loads of other pretty notebooks just because I like them 😂
So identify with all this. Have loads of books bought but too nice to write in, systems I have devised to keep control over mess then abandoned/ changed and couldn’t remember the plan. Hope your one book plan works, if it does I will give it a try.
I've toyed with the idea of a bullet journal for some time now but couldn't decide if I really wanted to undertake something so structured. Would I actually keep up with it? What if begin one and then--oh horror--didn't add to it for a few days, or a week, or even a month.... Then I was inspired by Felicity Ford's little course, Knitsonik Bullet Journaling, and decided to take the plunge. I've only just begun, using a Leuchtterm dotted notebook, so we'll see. I'm not sure why I need someone else to give me permission to use it whenever/however it's convenient, but apparently I do! As an avid papercrafter/quilter/knitter I'm constantly saving little bits and bobs of things that are pretty or inspiring....some in this drawer, some in that drawer, some in a pile on my desk. At the very least I will now have a home for that kind of thing.
I think you’ll like bullet journals - have a look at the ‘original’ concept on YouTube or somewhere. The original idea wasn’t all fancy pants arty, it was very simple, and didn’t have predrawn pages for days/weeks - so it doesn’t matter if you drop it for a while, you just carry on.
I always use a paper planner that I abandon at some point. This year I’m trying the Laurel Denise planner because it makes sense for my brain. Maybe - it’s only January.
What about writing on cue cards, then you could keep the ones you want in a recipe box?
Thank you - I’ll have to look that one up, always intrigued by other options! I have cards, I could use cards, it’s an excellent idea…but the box has the clutter-on-surface potential, unless I put it in a drawer and promptly forget all about it!! I’ll think on! I like the idea of cards as a sort of ‘holding place’ instead of random scraps/cheap notebook for daily notes.
My 'system' involves digital and analogue calendars; my version of a Bullet journal and a handwritten (with fountain pen and proper ink) reflective daily account. However, none of these items is infallible or necessarily long-lived: sometimes, like last year, life events get in the way and planning/recording seems pointless. Nevertheless, I have set up my system for 2024...
Ooh, that book of yours sounds delicious, and I’ve learned a fabulous new word, too (one for my book, methinks ✍️) And a book about stationery? Oh my heart 😍 yes!! That would be so good!
I have been using an A4 or A5 notebook for 20+ years at work.. they keep my notes from meetings, actions, definitions of the million acronyms we use, and my own to do’s which have a star in a circle next to them that gets crossed out when done. Sometimes, when super busy, I use a highlighter to cross out stuff I’ve done. At various points in time I’ve printed out a special to do list template that includes the due date and the name of the person for whom I need to do the thing... but that usually gets binned - it tends to be of the most use when I’m working on multiple projects and not so necessary for the single project I’ve been on for the past 7 years! These books hit the bin after a few years... they have served their purpose and I rarely if ever refer back to them. Sometimes just the action of capturing notes during a meeting is a comforting thing.
For my own notes and scribbles I always end up back at the apple notes app on my iPad that I can use with the Apple Pencil. I copy and paste stuff from other places or just scribble in my own words notes and calculations. Apparently it can now search on handwritten notes.. which is something I wish I could do with my work paper notebook😂! I’ve just started using the reminders app for to do lists.. work in progress!
The number one thing though, that digital books fail on... and I don’t know what the solution is yet... is the ability to flip through a book in the way that one does with a paper book. This one thing ensures paper books are superior! Just need to add a search engine to them - indexes are hit and miss even if a book has one!
Yep, there's nothing like a handwritten book. I even like the feel of the paper after it's been written on, particularly if you've used a ballpoint. I've seen someone use #hashtags in the margin or bottom edge of a book, as a way to find things quickly - worth a thought? You'd spot them when you flicked through. I'm going to give it a whirl. Re. the apple pencil, I have an old one, so it's nearly always out of charge if I think to use it and it's a pain to charge. I've never really got used to the slippery feel on the glass. I daren't even look at a Remarkable tablet...
Loved reading this Izzy, whilst surrounded by 10 million bits of paper that I was attempting to sort!
Do you think we secretly like sorting through them? I keep them in boxes then occasionally go back through them and cheer when something actually got done! Sometimes I act on ideas I had 5/10 yrs ago!! Somehow the ideas have to be floating around me, the most important bits of paper are now stuck on the wall! I've decided it's the only way 😂
Yes! It's a very satisfying evening activity - I settle myself by the fire, open up the box file and have a rifle, pretending to 'sort'. Of course I do no such thing, and put them all back - maybe one or two will stay out, then sit on my desk for a while. Very occasionally I may act on them, and yes - it's like closing a loop, no matter how old the idea! It's very satisfying to finally tick off something you first thought of years ago.
These are wonderful ways of "data wrangling" Izzy. Thank you. My intention this year is to start each day with a plan for the day written in a lined sprial backed notebook. So far so good. :) I like the idea of a Commonplace Book, I'm going to try that out.
It's somewhere a bit more special than the spiral bound, but can contain any random thing you want to remember longer than "buy more bananas"!
My “commonplace book” is more for class, guild meeting and workshop notes. There’s a company called Attic Journals in the US that collects books from our libraries and remakes them as spiral bound with blank sheets. It’s the original cover and story. So it’s cute, unique, and does something good for the world. I really like when I finish one, but you can also have them add pages if you like them bigger. So the rest of my stuff might not be very organized, but my class stuff is happy.
Ooh, that sounds wonderful! I've seen people using old books to create sketchbooks and art journals, but not seen them repurposed into properly useful (not the right words, because art IS useful but you know what I mean) books!
Izzy, I too love your writing, and having seen some of your videos I hear your actual voice and lovely accent (or my head’s botched version of it) as I read your newsletter.❤️ I struggle with notes and pretty books (and where is the @%*^ pen?) and bits of post-it notes. If I take nothing else, I downloaded the recipe app and uploaded about 20 recipes I had sitting in open windows on my I-pad. Having now closed those window, it should run a little faster.😉 Now to find something as efficient for crafting/sewing/etc ideas that are currently open windows!
Thanks for a great start to my morning!
Aw, that’s made my day! Shall I tell you a horror story? The other day I was trying to find a link for someone, from one of my open tabs…next thing, chrome crashes and I LOSE THE LOT! It’s happened a few times over the years, brings me to tears (or swearing) because on iPad I can’t get them back without trawling my history…and some go back…erm…a long time. I’m trying to keep my shiny new browser window clean, and I’m putting "interesting links", the sort of open tabs of the past, into either Pocket or a list on Notion. Then closing those tabs, obviously 🫣
Izzy, I absolutely adore your writing. I was reading while eating some homemade soup I’m hoping will banish the ick for good. I spat out my soup on more than one occasion laughing in camaraderie.
I too struggle with one place to keep it all, and also have a collection of notebooks to beautiful to write in. 😒 Last year I ditched the notebook and instead bought some colourful printer paper. I wrote notes on that instead and placed them in a paper holder on my desk. Then every couple weeks (or months) I would go through them and place them in paper folders, tossing anything that didn’t need keeping. So now rather than a bursting notebook I have bursting folders that I come back to. So far it’s worked better than trying to remember which notebook I wrote down that stroke of brilliance.
That’s the point though isn’t it. Allowing ourselves the space to be curious about how something can work for us, not us work for it.
And obviously I’m quite keen to hear your KanBan experience!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. And I love your last sentence - the space to be curious about what works for us, not us work for it. Unsurprisingly, I have many thoughts on this for another time 🙂 Hope you’re feeling better soon. I almost showed you my kanban on Friday, but it didn't seem appropriate :)
I’ve had an A4 ‘Day book’ (commonplace book?) for years and everything goes in there plus a moleskin diary with a week on one page and a blank page for notes for day to day lists and organising and that pretty much works. I did try bullet journals for a couple of years but they didn’t work any better than the diary... and I can’t be arsed to make them pretty.
Of course that’s not say there aren’t scribbles on random bits of paper everywhere too and loads of other pretty notebooks just because I like them 😂
Phew, you had me worried there - thought you had it all neat and tidy!
Don’t be daft 😂
So identify with all this. Have loads of books bought but too nice to write in, systems I have devised to keep control over mess then abandoned/ changed and couldn’t remember the plan. Hope your one book plan works, if it does I will give it a try.
Thank you! I’ll report back 😅
I've toyed with the idea of a bullet journal for some time now but couldn't decide if I really wanted to undertake something so structured. Would I actually keep up with it? What if begin one and then--oh horror--didn't add to it for a few days, or a week, or even a month.... Then I was inspired by Felicity Ford's little course, Knitsonik Bullet Journaling, and decided to take the plunge. I've only just begun, using a Leuchtterm dotted notebook, so we'll see. I'm not sure why I need someone else to give me permission to use it whenever/however it's convenient, but apparently I do! As an avid papercrafter/quilter/knitter I'm constantly saving little bits and bobs of things that are pretty or inspiring....some in this drawer, some in that drawer, some in a pile on my desk. At the very least I will now have a home for that kind of thing.
I think you’ll like bullet journals - have a look at the ‘original’ concept on YouTube or somewhere. The original idea wasn’t all fancy pants arty, it was very simple, and didn’t have predrawn pages for days/weeks - so it doesn’t matter if you drop it for a while, you just carry on.
I always use a paper planner that I abandon at some point. This year I’m trying the Laurel Denise planner because it makes sense for my brain. Maybe - it’s only January.
What about writing on cue cards, then you could keep the ones you want in a recipe box?
Thank you - I’ll have to look that one up, always intrigued by other options! I have cards, I could use cards, it’s an excellent idea…but the box has the clutter-on-surface potential, unless I put it in a drawer and promptly forget all about it!! I’ll think on! I like the idea of cards as a sort of ‘holding place’ instead of random scraps/cheap notebook for daily notes.
My 'system' involves digital and analogue calendars; my version of a Bullet journal and a handwritten (with fountain pen and proper ink) reflective daily account. However, none of these items is infallible or necessarily long-lived: sometimes, like last year, life events get in the way and planning/recording seems pointless. Nevertheless, I have set up my system for 2024...
Love the idea of using a good pen! I think even if we know we’ll drop off occasionally it’s calming to know there is a system if we need it.
Ooh, that book of yours sounds delicious, and I’ve learned a fabulous new word, too (one for my book, methinks ✍️) And a book about stationery? Oh my heart 😍 yes!! That would be so good!