What to write in a notebook

What to write in a notebook

22 Aug 2019

What to write in your notebook

Think of it this way: you don't see too many transport vans breaking Nürburgring lap records but you do see them hauling furniture. Notebooks are the same way.

Small notebooks, aka pocket diaries, are good for small things: shopping lists, love notes, lap times, quotes, ideas for later. Larger notebooks are better at larger things: daily planning, meeting notes.

There's some occasional overlap but, generally, that's all there is to it.

What to write in a pocket diary

We named our smallest notebooks "pocket diaries" not because they are cute (although the dusty pink pocket diaries are) but because you can put them in your pocket. We designed them to fit in a shirt pocket or a pants pocket or even a pita pocket (well, not that last one, but it'll fit).

man with a pock diary in jacket pocket

Pocket diaries excel in those moments when you need to jot something fast - like when you're on the phone and the person on the other line gives you a number to write down.

Put one on your bedside table to record middle-of-the-night 💡 ideas. Put one in the door pocket of your car when you need to record your tag number and where you parked. Or, just put it in your pocket and use it however you would like.

If you're an elf or a gnome (or have very tiny handwriting) you could probably use it for more than just a place to record your to-do or grocery lists; you could probably use it as a journal.

But, for regularly sized humanoid creatures we recommend using one of our larger A5 notebooks.

What to write in a regular notebook

Most of the world knows what A5 means, for those who don't (that's you folks in the Americas and, curiously, you in the Philippines) once you've held one, most will agree that it's a great size for something you intend to use every day for more important work.

Are you an experimenter, in the lab or the kitchen? Our stone stone paper notebooks are waterproof but we didn't mention that it is also not bothered by grease. It also doesn't smolder like regular pulp paper.

Errant sparks may leave a couple of marks but they shouldn't spread. Just wash dirty pages with soap and water and the notes you've taken or the recipe you're working out should be quite OK. Just make sure you've been working in ballpoint or pencil.

open stone paper journal

Are you an artist or designer working through the night hopped up on a mix of inspiration and caffeine? Let's add ER doctor and medical resident to that list.

Chances are you've spilled coffee, tea or maybe even something red that usually stains on your notebooks. Either clean it right off or let it stay put. It's your journal and you do what's best for you.

Evaluate your work

Go back to that to-do list of little tasks you wanted to complete today that you wrote down in your pocket diary. Did you finish them? Great, ✔︎ it off or cross it out. Any accomplishment, no matter how small, feels great.

Have you been learning a second language and writing new vocabulary words in a journal? Review what you've written. You'll be surprised how much this will aid you when you try to recall things later.

What to write in your notebook is up to you but with the right notebook and mindset, you can use them to help you do anything. If you need some help, here are 10 writing prompts to get you thinking so you can light the spark and get going.

stone paper notebooks

Our stone paper notebooks & diaries

Pocket Diary 3-Packs - £23
Six colors, perforated pages, incredibly handy.

Standard A5 Notebook - £21
Six colors, 144 pages, great everyday companion.

Leather Bound A5 Journal - £28 Cruelty-free Vegan Leather, 2-color choices, both beautiful and durable.

Bullet Point A5 Journal - £35
Approach your life with mindfulness with this purposefully design journal.

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Anders Ankarlid

Anders Ankarlid

Co-founder & Product Development Lead

Co-founder of agood company and product development lead. A serial e-commerce entrepreneur, and a father of three. Have worked in e-commerce for more than a decade. Mindless consumption activist.

"I want to be able to look into my kids’ eyes and honestly say: "I did everything I could to hinder climate-change”

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