Using a notebook can help you increase focus in many ways. Combining it with digital task management systems can be very effective. Let’s talk about both and see how you can get what you want – increased focus and results.
Digital Systems
Having a digital task manager or project management system is great. However, it can be too easy to just sit there and add tasks. While this isn’t bad, it’s not great for focusing.
- Digital systems help track tasks
- You can edit easily and collaborate
- Track due dates and get alerts
These systems are necessary for most people today. But for daily focus, it’s helpful to narrow everything down to a simple list of top priorities.
Using a Notebook To Increase Focus
For myself, I use a small notebook. I found it half-used on my bookshelf. When I’m done with it, I’ll go back to my Midori Traveler’s notebook. More on notebooks here.
Each day, I write down the most important tasks after reviewing my digital areas like ClickUp, email, and Slack.
This way, I can see what I really need to focus on with fewer distractions. I’m not copying everything from my digital systems; I condense it into a few main goals.
Take this one step further and knock out these main goals one at a time to avoid multitasking issues.
Why Keep It Physically Small?
Keeping the notebook small has its benefits:
- It’s handy and not cumbersome.
- It forces you to keep your list brief and concise.
This method combines the best of both worlds. I still use digital task managers, but having a notebook helps me keep track of what I need to focus on daily.
Converting Notes Back to Digital
If I make notes while working, it’s easy to convert them back to digital. For example, if I’m at a café, I can take a picture of my notes and use tools like ChatGPT to transcribe them back into my task management system.
It’s simple and efficient. If you haven’t tried this method, I highly recommend it.
More details here on how to do this.
Getting Started
You can start with literally any piece of paper. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Just write down your most important tasks and cross them off as you complete them.
