My Amazing Painful Misadventures Through Digital and Manual Note-taking
Most of us have become so reliant on digital products we forget there is still value in manual notes. But you can do both!
Most of us have become so reliant on digital products that we sometimes forget there is still value in the analog process of manual notes. I'm here to say you can do both. One does not need to do one without the other.
There was a time when I was all I wanted to do was move everything I was doing to the digital atmosphere. From CD's, DVD's, even my planner. (Yes, during this time, those were still a thing.). When Evernote was the tool, everyone and their mother tried out and preached its benefits.
I had moved everything over to a digital playground. Still, I found myself overwhelmed with maintaining everything. All the options each of these digital tools gave me and spending too much time looking at screens.
If I wasn't looking at my computer screen, I was looking at my smartphone screen or tablet screen. Too much screen time can make a person go dull. At least that is what I felt after a while with eye fatigue.
Enter Bullet Journaling ...
Bullet Journaling appeared at a moment when more people were feeling overwhelmed by both the advantages and disadvantages of living through digital lenses. It was a simple analog method that only required a notebook and a writing utensil. That's it.
Intrigued, I tried it out, hoping this would be the answer to all my prayers.
After learning the method, it proved helpful, no doubt. I began writing daily notes. I started listing my daily to-do's. I began to find myself more organized and less stressed.
What is Bullet Journaling
The claim of Bullet Journaling is it will declutter one's mind by providing a simple yet elegant organizing solution. If we are being honest, this is true of any system, designed or self-implemented, where the intention is to help someone organize their thoughts into a coherent system of reference.
I have used parts of the Bullet Journaling system and have abandoned most everything else that was not beneficial to me. Yet, if you wish to learn more, check out Ryder Carroll's book on Bullet Journaling, the founder.
Writing instead of Typing.
The act of writing versus typing was somehow, albeit briefly, more enjoyable. I say that since I am left-handed. Being left-handed creates a unique challenge. No matter what I do, I hand can get tired of handwriting.
I learned that I needed to use heavy-weight fountain pens to help reduce the pain and help me write better with ease.
Quality Products
With analog also comes to a need for quality materials. At least, in my humble opinion. I know some people are okay with a cheap Mead notebook and a No.2 pencil. And I wish I was one of those people.
I like knowing I'm writing on quality paper with a reliable and quality pen. And, as I have already stated, being a southpaw has caused me to need heavy-weighted pens with excellent ink flow.
Ever since I flirted with Bullet Journaling, I have continued to use their recommended notebook, Leuchtturm1917, with bullet point ruled pages. The quality of this notebook and its pages is undeniable. What can I say? I'm a sucker for pretty things.
My Personal Analog Workflow
Every day, I write the specific tasks I want to get done that day in my notebook.
If I need to make quick notes about something relevant to a meeting or whatever I am doing, I jot it down on the page next to where I've written the tasks I want to get done that day.
But that is where my analog method ends.
If I have recurring tasks, I do not see the need, nor do I want to, write them down every day. Instead, these go into my digital task manager. (I switch between ToDoist and Apple Reminders). For example, every week, I need to take the trash out Wednesday night since Thursday is trash day. Since I will always do this, there is no need to write it down every day (also, I might forget about it).
Recurring tasks are for digital task managers.
When I take a note and realize I need to ensure, I have it referenced for later, I sometimes copy those kinds of notes in my digital notebook. I will put them in a folder and assign a hashtag.
It's easier to do a quick search query through a digital notebook if I'm trying to reference something I noted while in a meeting.
Analog & Digital
As you can already tell, I use both methods. I interchange them as I go about my day. Writing down tasks helps me better focus and remember to get them done that day and ensure my daily short-term memory does not forget to do it.
Whereas recurring tasks are left in the digital world where I am reminded about them only when needed.
Conclusion
This may all be more than self-explanatory, but it's what works for me thus far. What works for you might be something different. Yet, I no longer believe everything should be digital or not digital. We can use both as we see fit.