I’ve been trying out a new thing lately - carrying a pocket notebook around with me and using it to capture diary entries, thoughts and tasks instead of my phone.

This change has largely been inspired by that moment when I reach the end of a long day, and I’m staring at my Hobonichi daily page, finding it all too hard to remember and record events of the day. I figured, if I jot them down as I go, that end-of-day diary entry will be easier.

Why a notebook? I could technically do this with my phone but I have a problem where I pick the phone up to put something in it, immediately get distracted by something else, and then forget why I originally picked up the phone in the first place.

So far, I’m really liking this system. The biggest challenge is training myself to carry the notebook (and Pen) with me, instead of my phone. And then reaching for the notebook instead of my phone. I know it can be done (after all, I manage to keep my phone on me at all times without even thinking about it), but progress will be slow. I’m trying to redirect a neural pathway that has been grooved in my brain for 15 years.