Digital tools are necessary for a lot of things, but more and more I'm looking for ways to start and supplement my workflows offline
Recently I drafted several emails in a notebook by hand — I realized upon review that they were more creative and thoughtful, which was good, because they were high-stakes communications
Although I do have digital productivity tools in my life, nothing beats—for me—a handwritten list of tasks
I keep a tiny notebook in my pocket for jotting stuff down. I realize that if I whip out my phone to jot down an idea, I may get list in the machine and forget the idea before I've even recorded it.
Also some writing, by hand, at the start and end of the day to observe and consider the day
...okay, after re-reading your rec, I don't know if this is even applicable or on topic so I'm gonna wrap up and click "Share"
2d ago
Related Recs
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Recently I bought a little pack of palm-sized notebooks in an effort to be more “analog” with my notes and thoughts (pretentious, I know). With a world of increasing options, I’ve found I am all over the place with my notes. I have some in Apple Notes, some in Notion, a few in other random apps I’ve accumulated over the years, and I’m sure others in places I forget. For the past month I’ve used these handwritten notebooks and it’s like something finally clicked for me. Just a quick jot away, I’ve got a pad filled and another started, with drawings/diagrams of ideas for projects and little notes I want to be able to look back on. Just make sure if you do this you pair those notebooks with some muji pens or your preferred writing tool for the ultimate experience.
Jun 1, 2021
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holy smokes!
A good bit of my work is thought work, writing, and planning-centric.
I typically start my day by opening up the ole computer and...getting lost in email and battling impulses.
Sometimes I'll use an app like 1Focus or Freedom to block the internet and work offline—reducing interruptions from others and putting speed bumps in the way of my own distractions.
But today I took it a step further than working offline and actually worked "offcomputer." I used a spiral bound notebook to draft essays, outline campaigns, craft plans, and sort my week.
Tomorrow and beyond I'll begin transferring all that deep notebook work into docs and messages and taking action on them.
It has been my most productive day in months.
Oct 14, 2024
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It's basically just an analog notes app, but it's something separate from your phone that allows for a little more disconnection from technology. Plus, it's tangible. So you can have a visual representation of the amount of thoughts or ideas that you've had over time. You'll have a collection of mini books that you can go back through and see where your mind has been. I'm about to finish my third little guy, and it's fun to have a collection of pages that represents my ingenuity and reminds me of memories I've forgotten. Sometimes I make myself laugh when I go back through or I contemplate something I said or I disagree with a comment I made a while back, or I feel inspired to rehash something I'd written.
Today I went back through and found a drawing I don't remember doing. I found a short grocery list from who knows when. I found a bunch of ideas I want to go back to. I found these comments too: "A vape is sitting on the subway seat next to me. Should I hit it and see what happens?" and "I'm on the six early in the morning and just watched a homeless man light another homeless man's crack pipe. Sharing is caring."
Mar 7, 2024
Top Recs from @mattshawsome
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this is worthy of celebration: the lack of video—autoplay video, noisy inane video, panicky video, algorithmic, dumb video, rabbit hole video, any video—on pi.fyi is a good thing
Oct 5, 2024
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this is going to hurt — A LOT — but it's getting to the point where there's no other option
Mar 11, 2025