{"id":3436,"date":"2017-08-24T17:30:36","date_gmt":"2017-08-24T17:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/?p=3436"},"modified":"2023-06-22T23:48:24","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T23:48:24","slug":"20-ways-your-notebook-can-boost-productivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ldproducts.com\/blog\/20-ways-your-notebook-can-boost-productivity\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Ways Your Notebook Can Boost Productivity"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a guest post by Laura McLoughlin. \u00a0She\u00a0writes for\u00a0My Own Stationery,<\/a>\u00a0a leading personalised stationery e-seller based in Northern Ireland. At over 100 years old, they have considerable manufacturing experience in the making of paper stationery products, and are dedicated to eco-friendly production with Swan label, FSC and PEFC certification.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Although note-taking apps have become some of the most popular technology tools for businesses, paper and pen note taking is still the preferred way for most people.\u00a0 And it\u2019s not just because of our long-standing love affair with beautiful stationary, as shown by the 2million+ Instagram images featuring the #notebook<\/a> hashtag.\u00a0Using\u00a0notebooks<\/a>\u00a0has a proven tangible effect on our productivity. Here are just some of the reasons why:<\/p>\n

Learn Faster<\/strong>
\nWe all know that feeling of having to read the same paragraph three times before we take in the information. Well there\u2019s a cure for that, because we engage better with what we\u2019re actually listening to, reading or watching, if we\u2019re simultaneously taking notes.<\/p>\n

Critical Thinking<\/strong>
\nNote taking is a slow task, even for the fastest of speed-writers. That isn\u2019t a negative though, because it forces our brains to critically analyze what we\u2019re taking in and pull out the most important pieces of information. Thereby practicing our critical thinking.<\/p>\n

Learn More<\/strong>
\nNot only does writing information in a notebook improve our concentration and critical thinking, but it\u2019s also been shown to improve our\u00a0recall<\/a>.\u00a0 The reason we struggle to do so without taking notes is because of the theory of \u201ccognitive overload\u201d – that our brains can only hold so many pieces of information at a time, before things start to \u201cdrop out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brainstorming<\/strong>
\nAs a productivity tool, the whole point of brainstorming is to put down every idea and thought, without priority or judgement, to get ideas out of our heads so they can be analyzed and sorted. Business mogul Richard Branson is known to carry his notebook everywhere and credits writing ideas down as a main factor for his\u00a0success<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scheduling Ideas for Productive Time<\/strong>
\nOne of the biggest issues in productivity is that the times of the day where we feel most productive are changeable. They can be impacted by factors such as lack of sleep or stress.\u00a0 Noting ideas saves them from being lost and means we can return to a great idea when we\u2019re in the right frame of mind to really work on it well.<\/p>\n

Saving Ideas<\/strong>
\nLinked to this is the fact the sometimes great ideas are fleeting. We may have them on the bus, just before we fall asleep or as we\u2019re rushing out the door to a meeting. Keeping a notebook handy ensures these ideas are not lost to the failure of our short-term memories.<\/p>\n

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The Power of Doodling<\/strong>
\nAs well as taking down information, notebooks are great for doodling. The impact of doodling on lowering stress and improving productivity has been proven by\u00a0research<\/a>.\u00a0 So much so, that brand giants like Google and Facebook are trying to use visual communication more to improve productivity and creativity among their employees.<\/p>\n

Complex Mapping<\/strong>
\nNotebooks are a great tool for mapping out complex ideas to make sense of them. This enable us to provide context and explain challenging concepts to others in a comprehensive way.<\/p>\n

To-Do Lists<\/strong>
\nWhile notebooks are most often used for to-do lists, the productivity benefits of these aren\u2019t limited to the time we save trying to remember things. \u00a0\u00a0We are able to work better, and feel less stressed, when we are organized. Then, when tasks are completed, we get a sense of satisfaction with each item checked off the list, increasing our motivation to keep going.<\/p>\n

Note Your Goals<\/strong>
\nKeeping track of longer-term, bigger picture goals is as important to productivity as getting the minutiae of our daily tasks completed. This is because working on the wrong things, that don\u2019t move us closer to our goals, is not actually time well spent.<\/p>\n

Track Your Goals<\/strong>
\nSome of the goals we work towards may be a great many steps from where we are now, so while noting end goals will keep us focused, tracking progress is equally important for the journey to success.<\/p>\n

Note Your Frustrations<\/strong>
\nYou can use a notebook to vent about stressful or frustrating situations in any aspect of life. Writing things down allows us to feel closure and move on from negative experiences, creating better team cohesion and a more positive work environment.<\/p>\n

Progress Positivity<\/strong>
\nWithout a notebook, it would be easy to forget all of the work we\u2019ve done. Everything achieved – big and small – each day, can be better appreciated when it\u2019s there to see in your own handwriting, a reminder of the progress made towards your goals.<\/p>\n

Immunity Boost<\/strong>
\nBeing rundown and sick is the villain of true productivity. One of the most important factors affecting our immune system is sleep.\u00a0 Taking notes before bed helps to empty our brains of worries and tasks, easing us in to a better night\u2019s sleep, and effectively boost our\u00a0productivity<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Technology Trouble<\/strong>
\nWhile note-taking apps are popular among tablet and smartphone users, their productivity is still bound by the realms of technology. A notebook won\u2019t run out of battery, meaning you can keep brainstorming and writing, without losing any time or ideas.<\/p>\n

Digital Distractions<\/strong>
\nAnother area where the traditional paper notebook trumps the apps is in its simplicity – which keeps us focused. There are fewer distractions with a notebook. No social media, pop-up notifications, or time-wasting websites to get lost in!<\/p>\n

Wakey Wakey<\/strong>
\nNote taking is a way of keeping our body physically involved in whatever activity we\u2019re taking notes on, be it a meeting, a class, or during individual work. \u00a0\u00a0This helps keep those feelings of drowsiness and distraction at bay that threaten to eat up our afternoon productivity levels.<\/p>\n

No Delete Button<\/strong>
\nA common frustration among note takers who have a preference for clean notes is the fact that notebooks don\u2019t have a delete button. The workings out are left messily on the page.\u00a0 Yet that is part of the power of notebooks for productivity – forcing us to get all the ideas out first, before we start editing away the details with a delete button.<\/p>\n

Size Matters<\/strong>
\nNotebooks are small and compact by design. They aren\u2019t heavy or expensive. We don\u2019t have to worry about them being stolen for sale. They don\u2019t require chargers or accessories.\u00a0 As far as productivity products go, they\u2019re the least likely to slow us down or cause us trouble. Not to mention notebooks are also aesthetically pleasing. You can choose from\u00a0a variety of cover textures, page paper weights, and even binding type.<\/p>\n

Screen Rest<\/strong>
\nIn a world where we increasingly work, play and socialize in front of screens, we\u2019re consistently being advised to take time away from them. Non-screen time spent writing in a notebook has benefits for our physical health, our mental well-being and improves our productivity!<\/p>\n

For a more pleasant writing experience, make sure you choose the right kind of pen for the job. It’s already happened to me a couple of times in the past: writing on a nice smooth page with a mere hotel ballpoint pen can be distracting–as if my thoughts weren’t getting transferred onto paper how I wanted. Use Pilot’s G2 gel pens<\/a> to make sure nothing gets in the way of your train of thought.<\/p>\n

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Thank you for reading this post! This article is written by a team of ink experts at LD Product<\/a>s<\/span> - a Long Beach, California-based company that specializes in compatible ink and toner<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0 With over 20 years of printing expertise, we\u2019re committed to helping you save money on printer ink without sacrificing quality.\u00a0 If you found this content helpful, we\u2019d be grateful if you supported us by visiting LDProducts.com<\/a><\/span> for all of your ink and toner needs.\u00a0 We appreciate your support!<\/td> <\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n