A reader recently reached out to ask how I use my pocket notebooks so I thought I'd share some of my favorite use cases that help me stay off my phone, reach my goals, and think on the go to hopefully inspire some new ideas for you to try out.

1) Capture

I used to rely on my phone to capture notes, ideas, reminders, and tasks whenever they popped in my head.

This would've been fine if that's all I did when I pulled out my phone but, that's not what I was doing. A quick note would lead to an email check-in, a text response, and then, 30-seconds of scrolling Instagram before looping back to respsond to another text. This would go on and on.

That's why three years ago I bought my first Field Notes pocket notebook to use as an alternative to near-constant phone checking that was disrupting my ability to focus on anything.

Having an analog alternative meant that my time wasted on these check-in cycles was drastically reduced and had the added benefit of giving me something else to reach for when I put my hand in my pocket.

This small change was the eventual catalyst for adopting a more fully-formed digital minimalist lifestyle that has ultimately led to me reducing my screen time to less than 30 minutes a day. I made a video about this last month that you can check out here.

The ideas and notes I capture in my pocket notebook can either live between those pages permanently or will be transfered over to another notebook if needed.

2) Commonplace Book

As my ability to focus returned, I started reading books again after a decade without reading at all.

Sometimes I would read a line and find it so compelling that I would write it down to reflect on later. This is a practice called commonplacing that writers have been doing for centuries. Traditionally these quotes would be categorized by common theme or header.

I keep it simple: If I like a quote, I write it down and don't worry about categorizing them in my pocket notebook.

These stored nuggets of wisdom give me something other than my own thoughts to read and reflect on in times of boredom.

Instead of checking my phone while I wait in a long line I'll open my notebook to a quote and contemplate it for a moment.

These quotes also appear in a lot of my writing and videos which is an added bonus.

3) Thinking on Paper

I used to think writing every day was this huge commitment that required lots of free time to do. But carrying a pocket notebook everywhere has taught me that I can write anywhere at any moment.

Sometimes I just need a place to work out an idea for a YouTube video outline or a place to calculate my finances.

Other times I don't have my larger A5 journal on me and I feel like writing an observation, a diary entry, or even prose that ends up in a draft .

In all of these cases the pocket notebook is my on-the-go solution for a quick writing session and has led to me consistenly writing everyday for three years straight.

If you're a writer of any kind, the pocket notebook is an invaluable tool.

4) Memorization tool

Recently I learned how to memorize long strings of numbers by mastering the Major System which is a phonetic code that assigns each digit to a specific sound which you combine to make words and stories that are easy to visualize.

First I had to memorize the phonetic code itself, then I had to create words for each number pair between 00-99, and I had to committ each of those words to memory so I could use them to generate narratives to remember strings of numbers.

This may all sound dorky (and it is) but the point I want to make is that I was able to do all of this by leveraging my pocket notebook as a learning tool.

One of the most powerful ways to learn is to test yourself on your knowledge using a technique called active recall.

First, I write something I want to memorize down.

Then, I go about about my day and periodically test myself to see if I remembered it correctly.

Finally, I check my pocket notebook to see if I go it right.

If you do this consistently then you can memorize basically anything.

Recently I've started to learn the basics of Japanese hirigana and am using this method to help memorize what I'm learning.

It's fun for me to mentally engage myself as I go about my day and the pocket notebook gives me the opportunity to do so while I'm waiting in line, on a walk with my dog, or bored on the couch.

5) Fitness Log

Like most people, I struggle to stay consistent with exercise but something that has helped motivate me is tracking my workouts.

This is because I can see the numbers on my lifts go up over time and consistently push myself to reach a little bit higher.

Anyone who gets into working out at all will immediately be lured into getting fitness tracking apps and wearable devices to optimize their recovery. But I find these things incredibly distracting and ultimately unecessary for the average person.

I just need to log what I'm doing, see the progress occur over time, and monitor how I feel during my workouts.

The pocket notebook allows me to do all three without bringing a phone with me into the gym which helps me stay focused on the task at hand.

Prompt:

How do you use pocket notebooks?

If you don't, how do you think using one could help you reach your goals?