Breaking Down My Personal Notebook “System”
by Peter Durand
At this point, it is less a “system” and more like a “collection” or a “compulsion.” Like author and artist Austin Kleon, I have landed on four different sizes for different purposes — all are used to organize my Monkey Mind! 🐒
My Pocket Notebook
When I was younger and hitchhiking around Europe — well before the age of the mobile phone — these little books were my lifeline! Usually picked up at a drugstore in the school supply section.
Field Notes are designed and produced in Chicago (USA) and used for shopping lists, mobile scratch notes, measurements, addresses, quick to-do lists, and randomness.
I first learned about this from designer Aaron Draplin. As he says, “I am not writing this down to remember for the future; I am writing this down to remember now!”
SIZE: 3½" × 5½" 48 Pages
BRAND: Field Notes
My Commonplace Journal
ABOVE: Robert Southwell's Commonplace Book, 1653
I was inspired by my grandfather, a geography professor, who wrote 3-4 lines of tiny pencil notes about his global travels using a 1960s blue essay book.
I later learned about the long tradition of the “commonplace diary,” a collection of daily stats, weather, body weight, quotes of the day, news headlines, and top daily 3-5 highlights.
Mine sits permanently on the kitchen bar, where I eat breakfast, drink coffee, and listen to the morning news.
SIZE: A5 or 5½" x 8½"
BRAND: Karst stone paper (made from real stone!), a tree-free softcover notebook made from high-quality, sustainable, and recyclable stone paper with a flexible vegan leather cover. It was a Father's Day gift from my daughter.
LINK: https://karstgoods.com/en-us/products/stone-paper-softcover-notebook
My Bullet Journal/Sketchbook
This highly customizable, analog organization system uses a notebook to track tasks, schedule events, brainstorm ideas, and more.
ABOVE: Fresh vs. finished sketchbook.
Bullet Journals (bujo) use a combination of bullet points, symbols, and personal organization techniques.
People have gone super-deep on this technique!
But, I have evolved my even lazier version based on the Lazy Genius.
I started posting selective sketchnotes from lectures, podcasts, and conversations here.
SIZE: 5.7" × 8.3" or A5 (aka. “the Medium”)
BRAND: Leuchtturm 1917 Classic (dotted ruling) or Moleskine
LINK: https://www.leuchtturm1917.us/classic-notebooks-1.html
Weekly Work Log
My one-glance view of the workweek.
I set it up on Sunday afternoon with a snapshot of the week’s meetings, projects, to-dos, business operations, etc.
The handwritten schedule keeps me looking at my phone or calendar app.
It is spiral-bound, so it lays flat. It sits next to my computer keyboard. I only need one page to keep me on track for the week.
SIZE: A5 or 5.8” x 8.3”
BRAND: Airship Notebooks, dotted ruling. Designed by architect Eric Reinholdt of 30X40 Design Workshop.
NOTE: Because the company has me dialed in — and a dope monkey icon! — I have a ton of Howler Brothers stickers on all of my luggage and sketchbooks. This helps me track them in the clutter!!
