January 7th, 2008 in Featured, Productivity

How to Use a Notebook to Make 2008 the Best Year Ever

The notebook has been around forever. Do you remember your first one? It probably had very wide lines and perhaps a spiral binding. You used a fat pencil and traced letters until they became second nature. Before long you learned script. Then you migrated to pens. Some of you, dear readers, are now Moleskine aficionados and are selective and perhaps downright snooty about your pen choice. The lefties here might have learned that it is easier to start at the back of a notebook so that you don’t rub your hand across that lump of the binding as you write. (The righties here don’t get that sentence - nevermind, read on righties.)

By now you are probably just as comfortable with a keyboard as writing. And, to make 2008 the best year ever this Black Belt activity requires you to stop using that keyboard. Don’t panic, I’m talking about just 15 minutes per day when your notebook reigns.

Here’s the activity (the why comes later):

Get a timer and set it for 15 minutes - use the one on your cell phone, a freestanding one ($10 at a general merchandise store in the kitchen section), or the one on your watch.
Go to a place with few distractions - consider a conference room, a coffee shop, the sofa in your home in a low activity room (only put on music with no words such as classical or zen music), and do not stay at your desk.
Open your notebook.
Start your timer.
Stare into space or close your eyes and see what pops into your mind.
Once a topic comes to mind, write it on your notebook and stop thinking about it. You’ve put it on your list so that you won’t forget the topic. You’ve put it on your list to clear you mind of that issue, thought, concern, action item ‘to do’, discussion, etc. Do not replay full discussions. If one comes up, write the topic and hit “pause” on your mental replay.
Hang in there for 15 minutes. Keep letting go of topics and wait for the next. Breathe easy. Stay still. For some of us that will be 15 minutes that feels like an hour. Others will fall asleep this time. Try not to do that next time. Some will have three things in the notebook for the session. Others will have 23 notes. The goal is to make room in your day and mind to let things come to mind that are squeezed out during the crazy busy distraction-filled time with family and co-workers.
When the alarm goes off, return to your routine. Take your notebook with you and integrate the most important idea with your plan for ‘what’s next’.
Repeat daily.

It’s most effective if you put that 15-minute block of time right on your calendar and respect the appointment with yourself as if it were a meeting with Warren Buffet, Oprah, or Tiger Woods.

Why you shouldn’t use a keyboard: distractions. There are too many temptations to do other things when you’re at your keyboard and computer. Few of us can be at our desk and computer with the lack of distractions that is required to have your notebook be the key to making 2008 your best year ever.

WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY

Susan Sabo

Susan Sabo is the productivity whiz writing at Productivity Cafe - a friendly place for effective articles on working smarter, reducing stress, and living a vibrant life. Susan consults with professionals on improving their personal productivity and presents motivating productivity programs to groups. Offline Susan travels, bicycles, and celebrates life!

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Open English says on January 7th, 2008 at 4:01 pm

Great article, you are so right about there being tons of distractions at your computer. You could try disconnecting from the internet, but nothing beats a good notebook - the ideas seem more “pure” somehow
Mark Dykeman says on January 7th, 2008 at 5:01 pm

This notebook exercise is similar to a compressed version of “morning pages” as described in The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I’ve tried it myself and it’s a wonderful exercise. “Morning pages” are three handwritten pages of… whatever - that can take 30 - 60 minutes to do! This notebook methods sounds like a quicker method that will produce similar results. I’m trying it tomorrow! Maybe even tonight!
nXqd says on January 7th, 2008 at 8:14 pm

Yes ! I’ve found that you must create your to-do list and take note with your notebook firstly. After that if you can, you can put your notes to online apps or offline app that you can find your notes easily.
Don’t hang around your keyboard, it makes me think nothing when I’m trying to create ideas.
I hope my experience will be good for some of you.
Thanks, nXqd
David Reber says on January 7th, 2008 at 11:05 pm

15 minutes is all ot takes and it does so much for you.
Nick Grimshawe says on January 8th, 2008 at 1:39 am

Great post. I use many notebooks scatter throughout the house and the car so that I can use them to catch important thoughts, but also to clear my mind of all the other stuff floating around and clutter everything with a lot of noise. I am happy to discover someone else who does the same thing.

Nick
David Hune says on January 8th, 2008 at 2:27 am

This is a great idea. I’ve also tried the morning pages from the Artist’s Way, and think your idea could help at least as much.

Thanks for a great post!
pelf says on January 8th, 2008 at 5:57 am

Actually that’s what I do though I don’t set 15 minutes to do it. I find that writing things down (especially to do lists) is the first step to increased productivity and it, unsurprisingly, decreases procrastination
Meng says on January 8th, 2008 at 6:01 am

I think you absolutely nailed it for me: “Why you shouldn’t use a keyboard: distractions.” I’ve always preferred pen and paper but didn’t understand why. Now I can use the technique with confidence and I think I’ll use it more. Thanks for sharing the insight.
89 says on January 9th, 2008 at 1:18 am

thanks
Liz says on January 9th, 2008 at 3:43 am

Maybe it’s just because I’m a student, but I don’t quite follow: what are you supposed to write down? Goals? Memories? To-do lists? It seems more geared towards to-do lists on account of the ‘what’s next’ option at the end, but maybe I’m missing something.
Susan Sabo says on January 9th, 2008 at 7:51 am

@ everyone ~ thanks for your support of this notebook exercise. it seems to be working for you!

@ Liz - - write down everything that comes to mind from goal to dream to a situation that made you laugh. It will be a mix of things. I suggest you start purposely with one thing you’re grateful for then ‘go with the flow’. Yes, you pull the action items off and that could be 5% of what you wrote or 85%
Frank Ricketts says on January 9th, 2008 at 1:43 pm

What is old is new again. It works..
Majed says on January 10th, 2008 at 4:47 am

Grate, but also you must set intervals to visit your writings to build on them, finish tasks, sharpen your vision about future.

Thanks
Roger J says on January 11th, 2008 at 11:45 am

I’ll try this, but with my Toshiba M200 (and/or new Fujitsu U810, when travelling) and OneNote 2007 because then I have no excuse for not reviewing it, or having to look for it. However, I will do it in handwriting mode, like a REAL notebook, away from the keyboard!
KMT says on January 18th, 2008 at 10:01 am

great post - simple & effective,

would u suggest to categorize the notice lateron (goals, activities, visions, dreams, emotions … ) ?
mirc says on January 24th, 2008 at 10:24 am

Thanks Best Regards
Tom Mac says on January 28th, 2008 at 10:40 pm

Your best ideas come to you at odd moments - in the shower, in the car, at the airport, etc. You’ve got to keep a notebook handy.
Internet Junkie says on January 30th, 2008 at 2:04 pm

I think it is a great idea, as long as you remember to consult your notebook (or notebooks).
Also, sometimes ideas pop into your mind at funny times (in the bath, an insomnia bout, washing the kitchen floor), so your notebook has to be accessible then too, as you may get ideas you might not think about in your daily 15 mins.
Sangesh says on January 31st, 2008 at 7:30 am

These tips are quite simple, to-the-point and effective.
Jan Richards says on April 25th, 2008 at 1:55 pm

So agree! Great post.

I have two notebooks underway at any given time. One for personal writing (as in “morning pages,” Julia Cameron’s recommendation). The other is for initial business and blog writing, ideas, first drafts.

This set of two was scruffier than most:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/j.....527686189/