I was having one of those moments where I just: if I threw out cost and all realities like that — what would the ideal binder be for me?

It would certainly be in a format with a similar paper size to the full size travelers notebook, with a “pocket” version with half the height. With compatible ring sizes so that I could take out two pages of the small and stack them on top of each other in the big one.

The big version would have rings on both edges instead of in the middle. To make it easy to have control of both of the pages I look at.

It would most likely be stupid expensive and loads of practical issues with designing it, like how to make the pages line up without the rings being on top of each other closed and being extra bulky because of it.

In the world of notebook & paper systems we have binders, like Plotter and William Hannah; and notebook systems like Travelers Notebooks and a few others.

I always wish this was a bigger product area. Ideally in a way where it isn’t all proprietary. With similar paper sizes

More paper layouts, more covers, more accessories.

All the time I find myself splitting pages into sections that are similar to common index card sizes.

Typically close to either 3x5 or 4x6. Depending on the notebook and size.

Based on how little I have used index cards over the years I find the whole thing weird and funny.

But there is something about that size that is perfect for a constrained collection of tasks that works really well for my brain.

For example, at the moment my a double spread in my full sized Travelers Notebook is divided into 8 blocks like this.

One has random captured impulses and thoughts. The other one has the start of a shopping list. And the first one has the tasks I’m currently working on.

Another part of it for me is that by splitting in vertical I use around 50% more of the paper surface compared to if I didn’t.

And of course it limits how much I have to move back and forth between pages.

When I have a list of tasks, there have for a long time been an ideal size of it for me.

I may have multiple of them going on at once, but the ideal group for me is what I’d describe as an index card amount of paper.

Smaller and it becomes a bit meaning less to break up the paper. Bigger and it becomes a bit overwhelming.

The thing I like about it is that I can have a few blocks at the end that is more capture or lists I’m creating. And blocks that are a bit more “focused” on the other side.

For example a block with personal routine stuff first, then a block with work stuff etc. And alter through things that way to have progress on multiple things during the day.

Because of reasons, partly money and being in that weird place between systems, I don’t use a dated analog planner at the moment.

One interesting thing about that is how much less aware I am about what the current date is. Weirdly interesting.

And also why I think I should get back to having a paper one always visible with today’s plan.

I’ve been using pocket notebooks more or less daily for months at this point for the first time since COVID.

This have been an ongoing thing for me to get back into using them since like 2021.

I think, this is when they’re finally back.

This matters a lot to me, because using them most days means that I take more notes in random places, something that is really good for my mental well being and productivity.

It is good for my mental well being that I take the notes, and it is good for my productivity to do it there instead of opening my phone and getting sucked into something.

I was working at home the other day, and I could not find the cap for my Kaweco Sport Steel fountain pen. Look in the desk, under the desk, under the couch, in the couch etc.

Finally found it hanging off the back side of part on my iPad Pro that holds and charges my Apple Pencil.

Then I go hmmm and stuck the entire pen there.

Funny enough it is the only metal pen that it works with however. Because all the other metal pens I have are brass or aluminum.

Image of metal Kaweco attached to iPad

During a recent episode of The Pen Addict podcast #657, they talked about Bullet Journaling and how it is a useful way to not let task management get out of hand.

And thought it was a good time to revisit how I deal with the divide between analog and digital task management.

For me it works way better (most of the time) to capture things on paper, than digital, because it is quick and I don’t have to leave what I was doing or move focus in any way.

But it works way better for me to keep organized lists of tasks in a digital form.

This is where things get weird.

I prefer to have my “hit lists” on paper. This is just me looking at the task manager or my daily plan (I’ll get to that after) and filling out like 30 ish minutes of “stuff”. That I just do one after one. Until I’m out of stuff to do or close to running out of stuff to do and then I repeat.

It works really well for me as a way to limit how often I can get distracted by all the tasks etc.

My daily plan is sometimes on paper and sometimes in an app. Currently it is in Note Plan, and have moved between there and paper like 5 times in the last year.

This is where I just go through all my calendar events for the day and add them to a list of “todo’s”. Then I fill out the three must do today tasks, before I fill out five things I should get done today in various sections. During work days it is usually Chores, Personal and Work.

Just a way for me to work more focused on completing stuff.

My handwriting 90% of the time is horrendous.

Having ADHD is a large part of it, I can focus and write nicer if I go slow and focus. And even quite nice if I go really slow and do a sentence at a time with breaks between.

When I look back at things with my current self awareness and knowledge, I’m pretty sure me writing in a way only I can understand became a defensive tactic after being bullied a lot; and in general feeling unsafe.