Notebooks

I was wondering because I don't.

My pocket notebook (from the French Clairefontaine brand, but I will also use Rhodia) is, well, sitting in one pocket or another in my coat or in my bag, when it's not in my jeans back pocket. It is sat on, its cover has been thorn in the first couple weeks of using it. It's scribbled upon without much care (I often write while I walk, I will let anyone write stuff in it). I will tear off pages when needed. It rains on it (no idea why, my productive long walks the ones where I write the most are often done under the rain). This notebook is a workhorse and it shows.

And for my journal—a larger sketchbook ('ArtCreation' from the Dutch Royal Talens) that sits at home—the only sun it sees is when I write on the balcony of our apartment, the only water it tastes is the one I use with my watercolors set. It is much less beaten than my pocket one but I don't take much care for it either. No one but me writes in it but it's still scribbled upon everywhere, things are crossed out, sketches are started and not finished. And so on.

Am I that messy or is it common?

I am always interested in what people are using their notebooks for. I often find that many people are using multiples for different topics.

I have a Traveller's Notebook Standard size that has three inserts. I use two of the inserts as bullet journals for work / daily life logging and my future log. The third insert is a standard long-form journal that I write in mostly daily.

I have a Passport size Traveller's Notebook with two inserts that I use as a wallet. The inserts are my gaming log where I take notes while playing whatever video games I am currently playing, and the other is just for catch-all like meeting notes, a bullet journal log for on the go, lists, thoughts etc.

I have a Hobonichi that I put just a daily log in of what I did on a particular day, and I will collect business cards or stickers from places I go an tape them in on the appropriate days. I am not a scrapbooker, but I find that this creates a fun little look through my life as I occasionally go back through old journals.

I supplement all of this with digital notes and a ToDoist account. I am a producer in the video games industry and have a lot of moving parts, so going all paper just won't work for me. But I love having this hybrid setup as I tend to remember a lot more when I write things down.

How are you using your notebooks?

Started a new job today and I feel great bringing my trust Traveller’s Notebook to my desk. I use a hybrid bullet journal method in conjunction with Todoist. I need digital because of all the tasks flying around, but I find that I remember things better, and can focus a lot more when I use pen and paper. This notebook comes with me to my work and home desks, and I have a pocket notebook wallet for when I am out and about.