

Ask HN: Your Real Life Notebook Tricks/Tips - dryicerx

Lot of people have paper notebooks. No matter how technically advanced tools are at my finger tips, there is nothing faster or easier to jot down quick ideas like old school pencil and paper. All my preliminary designs happen there. All the brainstorming. A real scratch pad.<p>I am sure I am not the only one.<p>So what are you trips, tricks and personal conventions used on your notebook. Do you index them? Organizational methods?
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cmos
I've been keeping an active design book for the last 3 years. I buy the
largest spiral bound artists sketch pad from the local art store that fits in
my backpack (usually $16-$19). I go through one a year. The notebook is for
ideas, concepts and stories. Day to day notes are done elsewhere.

Opening the notebook immediately puts me in the right mindset. Each page get's
it's own idea or subconcept, though some pages are just a mix of smaller ones.
I'm not afraid to be messy, to write in different size text, sometimes bold,
for important items. I write 'idea!' in large text for new worthy ideas.

I also use good felt tip pens also from the local artist store. I get a set of
5 from 0.1 to 0.5, and usually write with 0.3.

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dryicerx
Something about sketch pads, what I use as well, doesn't the thick coarse
pages just make a world of difference.

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dryicerx
I'll start.

Type: I always use sketch pads meant for pencil drawings with thick paper, no
rules or lines. I can sketch and do what ever without distraction. Great for
brainstorming/design/flowcharts/etc.

Organization: Many books {Personal, Project1, Project2, ...} Then in each
book, any bizarre unfit ideas I write from the back-to-front. So using the
book both ways.

Indexing/Tagging: I usually bend the top right corner to signify (Useful idea
use in Future). And Bottom right corner to signify temporary marker.

Other: At the end of day, I write down what I should accomplish the next day,
this has boosted my productivity like nothing else.

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Oompa
I just have an empty notebook shell filled with loose leaf paper. I never have
to tear out pages, and, somehow, I never lose anything either.

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chaosprophet
I always have a tiny scribbling pad about the size of my palm and a pencil in
one of my pockets at all times. So wherever I am, I can immediately jot down
any ideas that come to me.

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colbyolson
Keeping one near the bed and unloading before I go to sleep.

Eg: things to do the next day, last minute ideas, thoughts, poems

