A physical daybook can become an extension of your mind—a tool for organization, creativity, and reflection.It might well make you more effective, less stressed, and happier.
Great post, reminds me that I've recently gotten away from this habit (probably due to work-from-home). I've written a personal journal book (daybook) for years, have several dozen packed away in boxes. Fun to review them, see "where was I back in, say, the 1980s?" My own personally favorite sections:
a) Ideas for "little" software utility programs to write... something would occur to me ("at the command line") : Hey, I should create a tool for that. Once noted in my current journal (I reserve a whole section of pages just for these), I let it "cook" in my subconscious for a while, then spend a happy afternoon or weekend actually coding it up.
b) I'm an avid reader; sometimes I come across a phrase, paragraph or page of a book that I just "have to copy" into my journal, kind of a special quoting or remembrance. Once there, in my own handwriting, I feel like I've done honor to the original author, and am "borrowing" his/her wisdom as something to develop on my own.
I've used everything from collegiate "composition notebooks" (and have provided these to my sw-dev teams, with similar encouragement to use them) to Moleskines (almost too nice, luxurious to actually use) - a personal favorite was a hardbound 8.5"x13" book of pre-numbered, lined pages, almost too big to pack around, but it did get 100% filled.
As to pens -- I've used many, from cheapo to (relatively) expensive, but I keep gravitating back to the good-ol' Bic Four-Color (blue, black, red and green inks) -- they even make a version which substitutes a mechanical pencil (sacrificing the green). Functionally utilitarian, and I like the fatter barrel for my left-handed scribblings.
Thanks for this post and reminder. I'll open a fresh journal/daybook today!
I'll be (much) brief(er) this time, promise...
Great post, reminds me that I've recently gotten away from this habit (probably due to work-from-home). I've written a personal journal book (daybook) for years, have several dozen packed away in boxes. Fun to review them, see "where was I back in, say, the 1980s?" My own personally favorite sections:
a) Ideas for "little" software utility programs to write... something would occur to me ("at the command line") : Hey, I should create a tool for that. Once noted in my current journal (I reserve a whole section of pages just for these), I let it "cook" in my subconscious for a while, then spend a happy afternoon or weekend actually coding it up.
b) I'm an avid reader; sometimes I come across a phrase, paragraph or page of a book that I just "have to copy" into my journal, kind of a special quoting or remembrance. Once there, in my own handwriting, I feel like I've done honor to the original author, and am "borrowing" his/her wisdom as something to develop on my own.
I've used everything from collegiate "composition notebooks" (and have provided these to my sw-dev teams, with similar encouragement to use them) to Moleskines (almost too nice, luxurious to actually use) - a personal favorite was a hardbound 8.5"x13" book of pre-numbered, lined pages, almost too big to pack around, but it did get 100% filled.
As to pens -- I've used many, from cheapo to (relatively) expensive, but I keep gravitating back to the good-ol' Bic Four-Color (blue, black, red and green inks) -- they even make a version which substitutes a mechanical pencil (sacrificing the green). Functionally utilitarian, and I like the fatter barrel for my left-handed scribblings.
Thanks for this post and reminder. I'll open a fresh journal/daybook today!
Cheers -- Lorin