I tried bullet Journaling years ago but felt like too much work til I realized the creator took a more minimalist approach compared to the flashy ones online. So I adopted it, but I even simplified it further, and now I have a simple hybrid system of digital and handwritten. Something about writing with pen and paper still feels so good. I think it's because it forces you to slow down and process things. And I find myself just brainstorming better like you said. Also pro tip smartphones both android and iOS can pull text from a photo so you can take pictures of your handwritten Notes or plans and easily copy to digital solutions. Woth the exception of having to fix some typos.
@@leoncm100 I would just Google it. Both Android and iOS can do it natively but there is also an app called "Google Lens" that does it pretty well also.
The sight of a large handwritten notebook with pages filled actually gives me goosebumps. And the little crinkling noise the paper makes because it has been embossed with someone's writing... Have recently rediscovered the joy of writing in pencil too. I'll see myself out... 😁
There is nothing wrong with going old school. I definitely am getting back to it. Like you said, there is something about using pen and paper that gives you a special kind of feeling and ownership.
As someone with ADHD, I find myself toggling back and forth between digital and analog frequently. I like the convenience of digital, but there's nothing like putting pen to paper. Give me a Moleskine and a Pilot G2 and I am yours!!!! I just wish there was a happy medium. Even the iPad with paper texture and pencil just isn't quite there yet.
For me, I find there's a natural distinction between digital and pen. My output is always going to be digital. But how it all begins, that just feels more natural the analogue way.
ADHDer here: I find that I use my notebooks for journaling, planning, calendar. and brainstorming and my digital medium as a reminder service and a stop gap when I can’t carry the notebook with me. That may help. Good luck!
hey, adhd here, i integrate the two, anything timesensitive goes on my calendar, planner is for time management, ive got a note on my phone that syncs with my laptop where i dump everything, and just sort it into my calendar or planner once a day, certainly not perfect, but it works for me
I am also starting to revert back to "old school" methods in many areas. Interestingly, there is a trend in music production as well away from computer-generated music to using old-school synthesizers and drum machines. I think that humans are desperately looking to reconnect with the real world.
Truer words have never been spoken. I just love pen and paper. I have a notebook for almost every aspect of my life - a general planning book, a book where I record notes from videos like this, a book for my personal finances, a journal, a diary, even one for documenting quotes and new vocabulary words haha! Makes me feel like a PHILOSOPHER! I find that I am much more productive when I am writing on paper too.
Carl - I'm loving this series on more 'analogue' productivity methods. You're always keeping us true to the point that what's important is to get the actual work done... and sometimes the less 'sexy' methods are the very best. More on this please!
I was never able to throw away my fountain pens, even though I did go all digital seven years ago. It was so nice to clean and then ink them up. Pen I hadn't used for twenty years worked a dream.
I really do have to admit - planning on paper works so much better for me. I love my little apps and stuff, but I feel like nothing will ever replace the satisfaction of paper. ♥️ Bullet Journaling is my thing. Nothing fancy though.
This made me smile. On the table to my right is an A3 spiral bound plain sketch pad full of lists, boxes and doodles that I brain stormed last night and have already made notes on this morning. All written in ink with a carefully selected pen. We are obviously wired in the same way.
Another great video. I can certainly recommend Goulet & Jet Pens they are my go to stationery and fountain pen providers. I tend to save my wish list to I’m in the US as the shipping costs to the U.K. are let’s say staggering😊
I have 2 rhodia notebooks, one for meeting notes and one for planning notes. Today's fountain pen is the Benu Euphoria Bourbon (Fine nib) with Diamine Ancient Copper ink. I love technology, but I would be lost without a fountain pen and Rhodia notebooks!
A small Field Notes notebook in the back pocket, along with a pocket pen, makes for a good way to manually capture notes when away from the computer/phone or desk notebook.
What a lovely video. I also got back to pen and paper one month ago. Put my old fountain pens to work again. Seeing which one needs maintenance and so forth. I'm also using the two notebooks "system" so to speak. And I'm also a left hand writer. And also currently using a Rhodia ring binded notebook as main day-to-day notebook. But I use the A5 though, because I carry it with me everywhere I go, day and night. However, IDK about you, the ring binded notebooks are kinda bad for me as a lefty. I know the right-handed would have the same "problem" in the other side of the page, but I am changing for the bound notebooks to feel the difference. Well, awesome content! Thank you very much. See ya...
A very kind person (also left-handed) gave me a tip to reverse the notebook every time the spine was on the left. It works brilliantly and you also end up with a very unique notebook 🙂
My workflow is almost entirely write on paper--> take photo --> transcribe to obsidian and include an insert of the photo. Paper is the greatest technology!
Hmm, isn't how you plan projects a personal thing? My guess is the type of projects I plan out would be very different from the projects you or anyone else plans out. That was my problem when I 'planned" out this video.
Thank you for your channel and your approach to planning, writing, journaling, analog, paper and fountain pen love! It's enjoyable to watch, and it's highly likely some of your content will wind up in one of my own commonplace books one of these days!
Using pen or paper engages 2 or more parts of the brain. Computers use only the part of brain that sees pictures. Using pen &paper kicks in another part thatdecyphers those symbols you just wrote and makes words. Figures out reading. C.S. Lewis always did his 1st draft on legal pads
It's because you're left handed so therefore a genius. Unless that's somebody else's hand you've edited in for credibility. Always fun to go down the stationery rabbit hole
I've used paper planners for years. Yes I use my computer calendar but I transfer it to the planner that also has to do list. So much better for me. Great video!
Your passion about writing again on paper is really contagious! I started one year ago writing on paperlike device, and my experiencie was good, because I erase quite often words or even sentences while I'm writing. I would never achieve such a well organised notebook as yours.
❤ thank you for this video. Talk about timing... I had a calendar app on my phone that recently, for some unknown reason, just stopped sending me reminders. This stuffed me up in so many ways, and I realised that I'm relying too heavily on digital tech for things I used to do in analogue (I'm 52).. So now I'm back to writing things down on a calendar, writing out the weekly shopping list, and keeping a little notebook on me to write down things when I wish. I will upgrade to writing on paper at a desk now, thanks to your video. I have got my beautiful French pen at the ready!
I use an A3 pad as a mousemat and usually have 2 or 3 fountain pens within reach (today - a Pilot Custom 823 and a Nahvalur Schuylkill). If an idea floats past, I just swap mouse for pen and let it happen. Then back to whatever I was doing. Usually get through a couple sheets a week, easily. I use quite fine nibs so it dries fast. Wonderful system and no desk space lost really
The best archiving way is a pen and papper way, when archive in screens is like writting on cloud, the wind will blow it Thank you for sharing ideas,sir
I love that you are going analogue Carl, there is something so liberating about using paper. This is a great video. I used to use Moleskine a lot, but the paper is always so thin. Rhodia is my go-to also, along with leuchtturm1917 for journalling (used to be a Dayone user but went back to the process of writing my thoughts out, as I found it much more therapeutic!)
I work in I.T. and I am constantly using pen and paper to write notes or to sketch out ideas. I agree with you completely, there is something about writing on paper that gives you some type of feedback or sensation that you just don't get from using a computer.
Love paper and fountain pen! (I have a number, but my favorite these days is a Conklin.) also, I have an outrageous crush on your dog!!! S/he is SO CUTE!!! Thanks for this video. 😊❤❤❤❤❤😊
I love this and I can totally relate. Being a very progressive old school , I have gone back and forth between iPad devices, notes apps, etc. and have always come back to good ole pen and paper (the type that crinkles!). I suggest going all in on a notebook brand, and be disciplined to stick with it - otherwise you end up chasing after any new notebook that pops in your feed, and you have a library of blank notebooks. I've gone all in on Leuchtturm this go round (having tried Tomoe Paper, Moleskine, Rhodia, and others). So this is just hitting home with me. Thank you!
A recent trip to Japan 🇯🇵 with my daughter touring stationary and fountain pen stores has me excited for the pen and paper approach this year also! Nice video! Subscribing.
I very much agree with you about the use of the fountain pen. I went to school where you learned how to use fountain pens and I am still very happy to use them in different colours. So thumbs up for them
Do you want to make a great impression next time you chat with someone? Once they mention something interesting just say "That's great, let me write that down" and pull out a moleskine and your pen of choice and write down what they said. Trust me, they'll remember you forever. It's just not the same with a phone.
Your content is inspiring and your delivery and articulation is a joy. And the notebook…it happens to be my trigger color, the jolt that makes me vibrate with possibilities. You’ve set me off on a very happy note this morning, thank you! ❤
Dear Carl, I’m watching your content for a while and I learned few very useful things from you. The reason I’m now writing is, that your way to work with ideas an notes seems to be same as mine. I tried many many apps for note writing - almost on the iPad. Than I switched to a paper notebooks. After a while a had more than 3 different carrying with me and it was for me too much. I switched few days ago to the remarkable 2 and how it looks I found my way to have all my notebooks with me and to write like on paper. It feels good and I feel near like writing on a paper. Thank you very much for the content you are making. Greetings from germany.
Thank you. My solution to that is my planning book and scratch pad stay at home. I don't carry them with me unless I intentionally go to a cafe to sketch out my ideas. Then I would leave all digital devices at home.
Great video, Carl. I, too, subscribe to Goulet Pens. I discovered them years ago, and Jet Pens, too! I am diving into your other handwriting videos and immersing myself in them, hoping to find more gems of wisdom. Nothing beats paper and pen. Quick question. You mentioned scanning into Apple Notes. Can you retrieve (find) the handwritten notes you previously wrote using "search?" What do you do when you're away from your desk? Do you use a pocket notebook or a Travelers Notebook? Curious?
Hi Christopher, theoretically, Apple Notes can read and search your handwriting. That, though, depends on how legible your handwriting is. The best solution is to make sure the title is clear. I have ordered a Passort-sized Travelers Notebook to test out carrying a pocket notebook. Currently, when I am away from my desk, I use my phone. I usually walk the dog or drive, so being able to dictate ideas into my phone seems to be the best solution.
Glad to see you enjoying a more analogue method. I've similarly reverted to paper where possible. Digital is so convenient and, often, much "better" and yet, like you, I am looking for ways to find excuses to handwrite!
Same challenge for me as a left handed fountain pen lover. I forever have this black little finger ;) Been trying to adjust my writing position but it's not evident...
You can clearly feel your enthusiasm for pen and paper. And yes, I also think it's pure deceleration, focus and clarity. I use a leather notebook from X47. Craftsmanship from Germany at the highest level. Haptically great! In addition, my Kaweco fountain pens and everything is fine :-) Especially as a person with a high digital affinity, feel pen and paper very relaxing! Thank you Carl for sharing your experience with us.
Carl - I'm so glad I came across your content. I have boxes of Moleskine notebooks and a few years I switch to digital, but have been flirting with moving back to paper and pen. Your love for paper and pen reminded me of something that's been missing in my life. I'm starting a new paper planner for Q3, and really looking forward to it.
Do you keep/store your scratchpad? There is no link at the end, am i missing something? Lovely to watch and listen to a fountain pen lover. I keep ball point/gel/etc pens for others to use/borrow. I learnt a long time ago there is nothing worse than using a biro/pen after someone has borrowed it - they never write the same again. Paper, oh dont get me started, once you've written on good quality ❤, there is no going back
So is this for outlining a novel? I love paper and pen. I journal everyday and I love colored markers. I'm really OCD about it. I can't use the same color from the day before. It dilineates that day. Anyway, that's another story. But I have been trying to write a novel and I'm wondering if this will help.
Carl, this is such an interesting concept and wondered if you would possibly consider going further into depth. When I think about the presidents you mentioned I also wonder how they organized all their notes. In addition, what about others like Napoleon, Marcus Aurelius and other successful leaders. How did they manage their productivity systems and what were the commonalities since computers didn’t exist?
Hi Johnny, As far as I can tell, the presidents' documents and notes were collected by staff and stored in sealed boxes. Once the presidents leave office, they are delivered to their official library and held until the statutory period has expired (I believe in the US, it's 30 years). After that, the boxes are opened, and the documents are available for public consumption. For the people from antiquity, it's hard to tell how they managed their papers. My guess is they will have been kept on bookshelves.
Thanks for the video. As a Gen Z-er I've been realizing how cheap and processed digital goods are. Rather than make our lives easier they seem to have consumed us entirely in their frantic, shallow wake. I've been doing seemingly small things like owning albums on CD that have been making life so much more lively. So this video is a really good push to start planning on paper.
I totally agree nothing beats a fountain pen. I personally use a Parker vector, you simply cannot get that good writing experience in digital or ballpoint pen.
Have you tried including an index at the notebook's front or back - or does scanning solve the potential problem of finding individual notes among the many pages of notes?
This is just a planning book. Once the project has been completed I'm not likely to need to come back to it as I scan the original note into my digital notes for further refining.
Hmm Two primary notebooks - The Planning Book and a scratch pad for random thoughts, things. I do have a tiny little notebook for writing down my two or three most important tasks for the day. Then I have a journal and a commonplace book (sort of) for collecting information I learn when I listen to podcasts or watch a documentary.
So I do something similar.. I buy a ruled notebook with hard bound cover... name it as YEAR #{NUMBER} So, 2024#1 when its filled I go on to use #2 with new ones, this way I know everything is in 1 place. I always put date by default before writing so it helps aswell. And yesssss the feel and touch of paper is irreplaceable. Also these notebooks are always A5
I use multiple notebooks for different purposes and always have. It wasn't until I turned 60 that I was diagnosed with ADHD. It makes sense in retrospect that "out of sight, out of mind" on a device doesn't work for me. The only thing I save on a computer are images via various Pinterest boards. Also, I like embellishing my notes with colored pens, stickers, washi tape, drawings, etc. There are people who make whole RUclips channels out of sharing this. I like looking through my old notebooks (and I have the last 15 years' worth) to see what was going on then.
I always have paper everywhere. On my desk/ nightstand etc. And I always carry a pocket notebook (several actually). On my person always the Smythson Panama and the Molseskine Volant (in a leather folio). And I always carry 3 fountain pens and 1 ballpoint pen in a case. So when I walk the dog and get an idea I will capture it and when I am at home I will process my capture pocket notebook.
Yes! Don't know how I would function without my planner. I don't use digital on my computer and I can't stand the phone. Paper and pen only works best for me.
I split the difference - I use the remarkable 2 e ink tablet for writing, as well as the Samsung notes app on my tablet.... I physically write on them with their respective pens, so I get the best of both world - digital and handwritten.
Whilst I love this video and I love pen and paper, I wish content creators would stop saying go to the coffee shop or cafe and sit for a couple of hours working on plans or productivity, it’s not a library, the business relies on that table for income, maybe it’s just me but that is selfish behaviour. Rant over loved the ideathink it’s a great idea, just don’t sit in a cafe for longer than it takes to eat and drink what you bought
Interesting point. When my cousin opened her coffee shop, her whole business model was built around creating an atmosphere where people could come in and work in peace and quiet. She doesn't care if someone sits there for three or four hours (she even encourages it) because it tells potential customers that this is a special place.
@@Carl_Pullein just an observation, I live in a rural town where the cafe closed , and the main feedback as to why was people stopped going even though the food ,coffee and service were great, people couldn’t get a seat, or park nearby ( old people and families with prams etc) so they weren’t making enough money, now I have to travel 80 km each way to sit down for a café meal and coffee ,
Nothing ever does. My planning book is for deliberate, intentional plans, and my scratch pad is for random thoughts, little reminders that get added to my task manager, telephone numbers, etc.
I presume when you end a note book theres a period of time where you need to carry both notes books or do you transfer your post it noted notes to tge new note book.
Because I scan the handwritten notes into my notes app once I have finished the third/fourth pass, I never need to carry any notebooks with me unless I intentionally decide to take them with me.
I read in austin kleon's book "steal like an artist" that we need to play with ideas on paper, in real life, because on the computer, we start editing ideas before we have them. Analog work makes our ideas flow, sharpens our senses through manual work. and honestly, my creative work never improved as much as when I started having an analog and a digital station for my work :)
I am an organisation freak! I also love fountain pens and I am a constant writer. But I am a housewife and the kids have grown up, so I have nothing to organise any more 🙁 My husband has control of the financial side of things so I have nothing to do there either, which is fine. I'm also old school in that I like my Filofaxes (I use one as my 'capture' notebook). I like to be able to take pages out and to arrange them as I see fit. With a notebook I would sometimes get stuck with needing another page and I'd have to add it later in the book. Or I'd have gaps where I thought I would need more space and then didn't use it. With a Filofax (or similar) I could simply slip another page in when I needed it. Because I have nothing to organise in them, they have become journals for different subjects, so at least I get to write. I'd love to be organising something again, but the only way I can see me doing that is through a job. I am in my mid fifties, semi disabled and am autistic too. All of that makes me undesirable for employers. Even B&Q wouldn't want me! 😉
You are the next one to switch to “analog”. Welcome! Until, after the first hype is over, you realise that you lost a lot in the process … Like the backup, the weight of the notebook you are carrying, the flexibility, … If I’m on the move, I record my voice on my phone or watch, transcribe it, transfer it to my digital system. It’s lightweight, simple, back upped, flexible, … About anyone I know is returning to the digital version of task management after the analog honey moon period is over. Especially now that AI is going to assist us in the process of planning and organising our days. I wish you a lot of luck with your pen and notebook system and I see you back in the digital AI assisted world in the future ;-)
This is just for initial planning stage part of the process. I gave digital 10 years to convince me it was better than pen and paper and it never did. Once I have the initial planning complete, I scan the paper note to my notes app, pull out the main points and proceed from there. The most important thing for me is it gets me away from a screen. It gives me time to slow down, think (I mean properly think things through) before moving back to the digital world where 100% of my output is.
Hi Carl! I just discovered your channel today. I loved this video and I completely agree with what you said in minute 6:31. I will look further into handcrafted planning. Thank you!
Another brilliant video on analog. The other thing some overlook is that your brain proccesses written notes/writing very much differently than digital/keyboard. I highly recommend the $$$ Smythson Panama Bookle (UK) the size of a small thin wallet with 150 pages of patented paper.(250 sides - the last a year) and take fountain pen inks perfectly. Keep these old school productivity hacks coming!
You are right there. I've noticed better thought processing when I sit down with a pen and piece of paper with no screens in sight. (Ah, the Smythson notebook, beloved notebooks of the late Queen Elizabeth, and the Pamana is certainly on my bucket list ££££)
Half-full notebooks all over the place? Why is everyone looking at me...? Actually I mostly do planning on a screen but am seriously thinking of going back to pen and paper for the reasons you suggest.
I keep a Diary everyday and write and doodle in it. I love the magic of pen and paper…the smell…the sound…the visual experience. I have modern glittery inks…old inks…school inks…I don’t have a good fountain pen at the moment though. Thank you for sharing your planning…🥰p.s. Decades ago I did a course in Calligraphy but don’t practice but love watching people write…
A trend I’m here for! Have loved your content for work and really tried to stick to all digital, but at work I’ve had to keep taking notes in a paper notebook. I’ve accepted I need a mix: my work team is on google, shared team projects and tasks in Asana, but for my personal life: analog. I missed it and it’s working! (And don’t our eyes appreciate the relief?)
They sure do. That's possibly why when I finish at the end of the day, I like to sit down with my planning book and just continue some brainstorming without a screen in sight.
I'm curious - as a lefty myself - how on earth do you manage to write using a fountain pen? I've tried numerous times, but my hand smears the ink. I have a sinulat, albeit less pronounced, issue with Biro pens. I usually write with something beneath my hand to avoid dragging it over the ink. You must have to endure a pretty uncomfortable hand position to counter this?
Hi Kat, I'm an "underwriter", which means my hand rests underneath the writing line. This video provides an exceptional explanation. > ruclips.net/video/IypzgWiN1GY/видео.htmlsi=wtDReOEUbbp_yWDS
When i was in university, i discovered Whitelines. It’s a notebook, and they have a few types such as lined, dotted, grid lines. The unique thing about them is that they have an app where you can upload your notes by taking a photo of them. The quality is great and the one thing I loved about using Whitelines was that the lines didn’t show up on the digital copies. My notes would look neat and orderly. I would just take out my phone to read my notes whenever I had a few mins to spare wherever I was out.
Can anyone say which Rhodia notebook this is? The lines, open spaces, margins seem perfect for my use. Is the line space "college ruled" or "wide"? Thank you!
this man's simple joy over a notebook and pen warms my soul
Hahaha, thank you 🙂 - They do spark joy in my life LOL
I tried bullet Journaling years ago but felt like too much work til I realized the creator took a more minimalist approach compared to the flashy ones online. So I adopted it, but I even simplified it further, and now I have a simple hybrid system of digital and handwritten.
Something about writing with pen and paper still feels so good. I think it's because it forces you to slow down and process things. And I find myself just brainstorming better like you said.
Also pro tip smartphones both android and iOS can pull text from a photo so you can take pictures of your handwritten Notes or plans and easily copy to digital solutions. Woth the exception of having to fix some typos.
Love that idea with taking text from a photo.
Great idea -- I didn't know that, are you able to note here how that is done please?
@@leoncm100 I would just Google it. Both Android and iOS can do it natively but there is also an app called "Google Lens" that does it pretty well also.
The sight of a large handwritten notebook with pages filled actually gives me goosebumps. And the little crinkling noise the paper makes because it has been embossed with someone's writing...
Have recently rediscovered the joy of writing in pencil too.
I'll see myself out... 😁
So with you there 🙂
Same. The more crinkle, the better. 😊
@@piperspurpose3005 Hahaha, I like that, "the more crinkle the better" 🙂
@@piperspurpose3005 YES!! 😁
Also watching my luscious cursive script emerging from a roller ball gel pen 🖊️ mmmmmm
There is nothing wrong with going old school. I definitely am getting back to it. Like you said, there is something about using pen and paper that gives you a special kind of feeling and ownership.
I agree with you there.
As someone with ADHD, I find myself toggling back and forth between digital and analog frequently. I like the convenience of digital, but there's nothing like putting pen to paper. Give me a Moleskine and a Pilot G2 and I am yours!!!! I just wish there was a happy medium. Even the iPad with paper texture and pencil just isn't quite there yet.
For me, I find there's a natural distinction between digital and pen. My output is always going to be digital. But how it all begins, that just feels more natural the analogue way.
Have you tried an intelligent Notebook?
@@UmiChan358 I have. Still nowhere near the same feel a beautiful fountain pen gives you.
ADHDer here: I find that I use my notebooks for journaling, planning, calendar. and brainstorming and my digital medium as a reminder service and a stop gap when I can’t carry the notebook with me. That may help. Good luck!
hey, adhd here, i integrate the two, anything timesensitive goes on my calendar, planner is for time management, ive got a note on my phone that syncs with my laptop where i dump everything, and just sort it into my calendar or planner once a day, certainly not perfect, but it works for me
I am also starting to revert back to "old school" methods in many areas. Interestingly, there is a trend in music production as well away from computer-generated music to using old-school synthesizers and drum machines. I think that humans are desperately looking to reconnect with the real world.
That's something I've noticed too. There's a move to more natural ways of producing stuff in many areas of life.
Old school-hacker proof too
@@ccbarr58 Hahaha so true.
So true. The digital and AI revolution will see us embracing our humanness.
Truer words have never been spoken. I just love pen and paper. I have a notebook for almost every aspect of my life - a general planning book, a book where I record notes from videos like this, a book for my personal finances, a journal, a diary, even one for documenting quotes and new vocabulary words haha! Makes me feel like a PHILOSOPHER! I find that I am much more productive when I am writing on paper too.
Carl - I'm loving this series on more 'analogue' productivity methods. You're always keeping us true to the point that what's important is to get the actual work done... and sometimes the less 'sexy' methods are the very best. More on this please!
Totally agree.
Will do. (I feel like I am re-learning a skill I lost years ago)
I could never give up my fountain pens and notebooks.🥰
I was never able to throw away my fountain pens, even though I did go all digital seven years ago. It was so nice to clean and then ink them up. Pen I hadn't used for twenty years worked a dream.
That is how you know you have a great fountain pen.@@Carl_Pullein
Always pen and paper for me, digital frustrates me.
The greatest minds ever used pen and paper. Even Steve Jobs did. Writing by hand goes back to our ancestry.
That's very true. There's something about paper that encourages deeper thinking.
I really do have to admit - planning on paper works so much better for me. I love my little apps and stuff, but I feel like nothing will ever replace the satisfaction of paper. ♥️ Bullet Journaling is my thing. Nothing fancy though.
Completely agree with you there, Paula.
This made me smile. On the table to my right is an A3 spiral bound plain sketch pad full of lists, boxes and doodles that I brain stormed last night and have already made notes on this morning. All written in ink with a carefully selected pen. We are obviously wired in the same way.
Hahaha love that! There's just something special about pen and paper in a morning 🙂
Thank you and well said! I ditched digital notes and planning 2 years ago. Complete game changer. 💕
It certainly is.
Love this new era. "Old School" is the new black. Uh-oh...fountain pens: a rabbit hole with NO end, and I'm just getting started!
Another great video. I can certainly recommend Goulet & Jet Pens they are my go to stationery and fountain pen providers. I tend to save my wish list to I’m in the US as the shipping costs to the U.K. are let’s say staggering😊
I have 2 rhodia notebooks, one for meeting notes and one for planning notes. Today's fountain pen is the Benu Euphoria Bourbon (Fine nib) with Diamine Ancient Copper ink. I love technology, but I would be lost without a fountain pen and Rhodia notebooks!
I can understand that feeling.
A small Field Notes notebook in the back pocket, along with a pocket pen, makes for a good way to manually capture notes when away from the computer/phone or desk notebook.
So true.
What a lovely video.
I also got back to pen and paper one month ago. Put my old fountain pens to work again. Seeing which one needs maintenance and so forth.
I'm also using the two notebooks "system" so to speak.
And I'm also a left hand writer.
And also currently using a Rhodia ring binded notebook as main day-to-day notebook. But I use the A5 though, because I carry it with me everywhere I go, day and night.
However, IDK about you, the ring binded notebooks are kinda bad for me as a lefty. I know the right-handed would have the same "problem" in the other side of the page, but I am changing for the bound notebooks to feel the difference.
Well, awesome content! Thank you very much.
See ya...
A very kind person (also left-handed) gave me a tip to reverse the notebook every time the spine was on the left. It works brilliantly and you also end up with a very unique notebook 🙂
@@Carl_Pullein Now you really tempted me to try it on the next notebook. 😄
Great idea, Carl. I tend to have those post-it notes and they are a mess. I need to get notebooks. Love fountain pens. 💨
Enjoy 🙂
My workflow is almost entirely write on paper--> take photo --> transcribe to obsidian and include an insert of the photo. Paper is the greatest technology!
It most definitely is.
Hello Carl.
For the love of God, we need a tutorial or some more detailed guidance here! It would be greatly appreciated.
Hmm, isn't how you plan projects a personal thing? My guess is the type of projects I plan out would be very different from the projects you or anyone else plans out. That was my problem when I 'planned" out this video.
Thank you for your channel and your approach to planning, writing, journaling, analog, paper and fountain pen love! It's enjoyable to watch, and it's highly likely some of your content will wind up in one of my own commonplace books one of these days!
Aww thank you. 🙏
Everyone should use a fountain pen at some point in your life. Just started using one in my 59th year, and I love it!
Agree with you all the way, there, Carrie.
Using pen or paper engages 2 or more parts of the brain. Computers use only the part of brain that sees pictures. Using pen &paper kicks in another part thatdecyphers those symbols you just wrote and makes words. Figures out reading. C.S. Lewis always did his 1st draft on legal pads
That makes sense. It's also visually more pleasing, and your brain and hand becomes coordinated.
It's because you're left handed so therefore a genius. Unless that's somebody else's hand you've edited in for credibility. Always fun to go down the stationery rabbit hole
Hahaha I know Leonardo Da Vinci was left-handed too 🙂
I really like the Rhodia B5 for more longform journaling
I've used paper planners for years. Yes I use my computer calendar but I transfer it to the planner that also has to do list. So much better for me. Great video!
Love the dog Carl 😍
It's funny that I'm watching this on a screen. Haha
Thank you for the video
You're very welcome.
Your passion about writing again on paper is really contagious! I started one year ago writing on paperlike device, and my experiencie was good, because I erase quite often words or even sentences while I'm writing. I would never achieve such a well organised notebook as yours.
Great video - thank you - interested in how you 'bridge' from the planning notebook into a digital world (if at all) - Cheers from Texas!
I scan the paper notes into my notes app, then pull out the relevant bits. That helps to put my thoughts into a logical sequence.
Conquer Planet!...am I missing something? Did I do it wrong?
More likely I am missing something ;-)
HELL YEAH!! Just subbed! FOUNTAIN PEN GANG GANG!!! ASSSEMBLE!!! \M/
Hahaha, I never realised there were so many of us 🙂
❤ thank you for this video. Talk about timing... I had a calendar app on my phone that recently, for some unknown reason, just stopped sending me reminders.
This stuffed me up in so many ways, and I realised that I'm relying too heavily on digital tech for things I used to do in analogue (I'm 52)..
So now I'm back to writing things down on a calendar, writing out the weekly shopping list, and keeping a little notebook on me to write down things when I wish.
I will upgrade to writing on paper at a desk now, thanks to your video.
I have got my beautiful French pen at the ready!
You're very welcome. There's a real joy in planning and organising your thoughts on paper. Enjoy your French pen.
It's me too.
Write on! This is fab!
Hahahaha thank you.
I use an A3 pad as a mousemat and usually have 2 or 3 fountain pens within reach (today - a Pilot Custom 823 and a Nahvalur Schuylkill). If an idea floats past, I just swap mouse for pen and let it happen. Then back to whatever I was doing. Usually get through a couple sheets a week, easily. I use quite fine nibs so it dries fast. Wonderful system and no desk space lost really
Love that. Great method.
The best archiving way is a pen and papper way, when archive in screens is like writting on cloud, the wind will blow it
Thank you for sharing ideas,sir
You're very welcome 🙂
I love that you are going analogue Carl, there is something so liberating about using paper. This is a great video. I used to use Moleskine a lot, but the paper is always so thin. Rhodia is my go-to also, along with leuchtturm1917 for journalling (used to be a Dayone user but went back to the process of writing my thoughts out, as I found it much more therapeutic!)
Ah, currently considering going back to handwritten journaling. I haven't quite found the right method yet.
Same here! It’s so good to hear, that I am not alone.
I feel his love for paper and pens too. Hence our new (old) paper ASMR channel!
Yes, I do believe I have an (un)healthy love of pen and paper. 🙂
I work in I.T. and I am constantly using pen and paper to write notes or to sketch out ideas. I agree with you completely, there is something about writing on paper that gives you some type of feedback or sensation that you just don't get from using a computer.
Love paper and fountain pen! (I have a number, but my favorite these days is a Conklin.) also, I have an outrageous crush on your dog!!! S/he is SO CUTE!!! Thanks for this video. 😊❤❤❤❤❤😊
Aww, thank you, Julie. I've told Louis of your message and that he has a fan 🙂
Thanks!
I love this and I can totally relate. Being a very progressive old school , I have gone back and forth between iPad devices, notes apps, etc. and have always come back to good ole pen and paper (the type that crinkles!). I suggest going all in on a notebook brand, and be disciplined to stick with it - otherwise you end up chasing after any new notebook that pops in your feed, and you have a library of blank notebooks. I've gone all in on Leuchtturm this go round (having tried Tomoe Paper, Moleskine, Rhodia, and others). So this is just hitting home with me. Thank you!
Hahaha, I've been down that rabbit hole. I have a pile of notebooks already collected. LOL
This was really helpful 👏
Glad you liked it, Barbara
Love this! I always use pen and paper for planning. I find it more pleasurable. That motivates me❤
A recent trip to Japan 🇯🇵 with my daughter touring stationary and fountain pen stores has me excited for the pen and paper approach this year also! Nice video! Subscribing.
Hahaha my wife and I are planning on going over to Japan in the autumn for a little stationary therapy. 🙂
I very much agree with you about the use of the fountain pen. I went to school where you learned how to use fountain pens and I am still very happy to use them in different colours. So thumbs up for them
Same for me, Sten. My school insisted we learn to write with fountain pens before allowing us to use ball pens. So glad they did.
🎉🎉❤WoW awesome me too now doing pen paper productivy😊
your handwriting is very neat!😊
Haha, you should see my handwriting when I use a ballpoint, though. It's horrible 🙂
Adore your accent 😊
Hahaha, thank you 🙂
Do you want to make a great impression next time you chat with someone? Once they mention something interesting just say "That's great, let me write that down" and pull out a moleskine and your pen of choice and write down what they said.
Trust me, they'll remember you forever.
It's just not the same with a phone.
I know. There's something about pulling out a notebook and pen that impresses people today.
Your content is inspiring and your delivery and articulation is a joy. And the notebook…it happens to be my trigger color, the jolt that makes me vibrate with possibilities. You’ve set me off on a very happy note this morning, thank you! ❤
You're very welcome, Vicky.
Computers for recording, paper for thinking
You have a very good point there.
Dear Carl, I’m watching your content for a while and I learned few very useful things from you. The reason I’m now writing is, that your way to work with ideas an notes seems to be same as mine. I tried many many apps for note writing - almost on the iPad. Than I switched to a paper notebooks. After a while a had more than 3 different carrying with me and it was for me too much. I switched few days ago to the remarkable 2 and how it looks I found my way to have all my notebooks with me and to write like on paper. It feels good and I feel near like writing on a paper. Thank you very much for the content you are making. Greetings from germany.
Thank you. My solution to that is my planning book and scratch pad stay at home. I don't carry them with me unless I intentionally go to a cafe to sketch out my ideas. Then I would leave all digital devices at home.
I've used my keyboard so much that I forgot how to write
Great video, Carl. I, too, subscribe to Goulet Pens. I discovered them years ago, and Jet Pens, too! I am diving into your other handwriting videos and immersing myself in them, hoping to find more gems of wisdom. Nothing beats paper and pen.
Quick question. You mentioned scanning into Apple Notes. Can you retrieve (find) the handwritten notes you previously wrote using "search?" What do you do when you're away from your desk? Do you use a pocket notebook or a Travelers Notebook? Curious?
Hi Christopher, theoretically, Apple Notes can read and search your handwriting. That, though, depends on how legible your handwriting is. The best solution is to make sure the title is clear.
I have ordered a Passort-sized Travelers Notebook to test out carrying a pocket notebook. Currently, when I am away from my desk, I use my phone. I usually walk the dog or drive, so being able to dictate ideas into my phone seems to be the best solution.
Glad to see you enjoying a more analogue method. I've similarly reverted to paper where possible. Digital is so convenient and, often, much "better" and yet, like you, I am looking for ways to find excuses to handwrite!
Hahaha you spotted it 🙂 It feels so much more natural.
Fellow lefty here. How do you manage to write with a fountain pen (or anything really) without completely smearing or smudging everything?
I'm an underwriter rather than an overwriter. This means my hand moves below the line, so no smudging.
Same challenge for me as a left handed fountain pen lover. I forever have this black little finger ;) Been trying to adjust my writing position but it's not evident...
You can clearly feel your enthusiasm for pen and paper. And yes, I also think it's pure deceleration, focus and clarity.
I use a leather notebook from X47. Craftsmanship from Germany at the highest level. Haptically great! In addition, my Kaweco fountain pens and everything is fine :-)
Especially as a person with a high digital affinity, feel pen and paper very relaxing! Thank you Carl for sharing your experience with us.
You're very welcome.
Carl - I'm so glad I came across your content. I have boxes of Moleskine notebooks and a few years I switch to digital, but have been flirting with moving back to paper and pen. Your love for paper and pen reminded me of something that's been missing in my life. I'm starting a new paper planner for Q3, and really looking forward to it.
It's so nice to step away from a screen occasionally and do some deeper thinking. Enjoy your notebooks and pens in Q3 🙂
Do you keep/store your scratchpad?
There is no link at the end, am i missing something?
Lovely to watch and listen to a fountain pen lover. I keep ball point/gel/etc pens for others to use/borrow. I learnt a long time ago there is nothing worse than using a biro/pen after someone has borrowed it - they never write the same again. Paper, oh dont get me started, once you've written on good quality ❤, there is no going back
I do keep them for a little while, but usually throw old ones out after a year. What link is missing?
So is this for outlining a novel? I love paper and pen. I journal everyday and I love colored markers. I'm really OCD about it. I can't use the same color from the day before. It dilineates that day. Anyway, that's another story. But I have been trying to write a novel and I'm wondering if this will help.
You could use it for planning out a novel. It works for pretty much anything you want to plan out.
Carl, this is such an interesting concept and wondered if you would possibly consider going further into depth. When I think about the presidents you mentioned I also wonder how they organized all their notes. In addition, what about others like Napoleon, Marcus Aurelius and other successful leaders. How did they manage their productivity systems and what were the commonalities since computers didn’t exist?
Hi Johnny, As far as I can tell, the presidents' documents and notes were collected by staff and stored in sealed boxes. Once the presidents leave office, they are delivered to their official library and held until the statutory period has expired (I believe in the US, it's 30 years). After that, the boxes are opened, and the documents are available for public consumption.
For the people from antiquity, it's hard to tell how they managed their papers. My guess is they will have been kept on bookshelves.
love you karl
Hahaha thank you. 🙂
Thanks for the video. As a Gen Z-er I've been realizing how cheap and processed digital goods are. Rather than make our lives easier they seem to have consumed us entirely in their frantic, shallow wake. I've been doing seemingly small things like owning albums on CD that have been making life so much more lively. So this video is a really good push to start planning on paper.
That is why I've pulled back from technology in recent months. I was becoming pervasive and didn't really enhance my life in any way.
I totally agree nothing beats a fountain pen. I personally use a Parker vector, you simply cannot get that good writing experience in digital or ballpoint pen.
Ooh, I've used Parker Vectors in the past. Love those pens 🙂
Have you tried including an index at the notebook's front or back - or does scanning solve the potential problem of finding individual notes among the many pages of notes?
This is just a planning book. Once the project has been completed I'm not likely to need to come back to it as I scan the original note into my digital notes for further refining.
Great video - you have three notebooks, 1. daily todo list, planning book and ideas book - is that correct?
Hmm Two primary notebooks - The Planning Book and a scratch pad for random thoughts, things.
I do have a tiny little notebook for writing down my two or three most important tasks for the day.
Then I have a journal and a commonplace book (sort of) for collecting information I learn when I listen to podcasts or watch a documentary.
Hi Carl, I love pen and paper. What do you think about Remarkable or similar?
I have a Boox Note Air (eink tablet)... it goes with me everywhere. I do all of my planning and project documentation in it.
Tried and didn't like the experience. It still felt too "digital"
So I do something similar.. I buy a ruled notebook with hard bound cover... name it as YEAR #{NUMBER} So, 2024#1 when its filled I go on to use #2 with new ones, this way I know everything is in 1 place. I always put date by default before writing so it helps aswell. And yesssss the feel and touch of paper is irreplaceable. Also these notebooks are always A5
I use multiple notebooks for different purposes and always have. It wasn't until I turned 60 that I was diagnosed with ADHD. It makes sense in retrospect that "out of sight, out of mind" on a device doesn't work for me. The only thing I save on a computer are images via various Pinterest boards.
Also, I like embellishing my notes with colored pens, stickers, washi tape, drawings, etc. There are people who make whole RUclips channels out of sharing this. I like looking through my old notebooks (and I have the last 15 years' worth) to see what was going on then.
Love that, Patricia.
I always have paper everywhere. On my desk/ nightstand etc. And I always carry a pocket notebook (several actually). On my person always the Smythson Panama and the Molseskine Volant (in a leather folio). And I always carry 3 fountain pens and 1 ballpoint pen in a case. So when I walk the dog and get an idea I will capture it and when I am at home I will process my capture pocket notebook.
Yes! Don't know how I would function without my planner. I don't use digital on my computer and I can't stand the phone. Paper and pen only works best for me.
I know how you feel.
I love my handwriting when I use a fountain pen 😅
Me too! 🙂
I split the difference - I use the remarkable 2 e ink tablet for writing, as well as the Samsung notes app on my tablet.... I physically write on them with their respective pens, so I get the best of both world - digital and handwritten.
You didn’t ask but I’m telling you anyway; I love basic ball point pens. I always have warm hands, and the ink flows so nicely when the pen is warm.
I use both an A4 and an A5 Rocketbook. This gives the paper feel and can easily be scanned, transcribed and saved
Whilst I love this video and I love pen and paper, I wish content creators would stop saying go to the coffee shop or cafe and sit for a couple of hours working on plans or productivity, it’s not a library, the business relies on that table for income, maybe it’s just me but that is selfish behaviour. Rant over loved the ideathink it’s a great idea, just don’t sit in a cafe for longer than it takes to eat and drink what you bought
Interesting point. When my cousin opened her coffee shop, her whole business model was built around creating an atmosphere where people could come in and work in peace and quiet. She doesn't care if someone sits there for three or four hours (she even encourages it) because it tells potential customers that this is a special place.
@@Carl_Pullein just an observation, I live in a rural town where the cafe closed , and the main feedback as to why was people stopped going even though the food ,coffee and service were great, people couldn’t get a seat, or park nearby ( old people and families with prams etc) so they weren’t making enough money, now I have to travel 80 km each way to sit down for a café meal and coffee ,
Carl, how would you determine what moves from your scratch pad to planning book?
Nothing ever does. My planning book is for deliberate, intentional plans, and my scratch pad is for random thoughts, little reminders that get added to my task manager, telephone numbers, etc.
@@Carl_Pullein thanks Carl
I presume when you end a note book theres a period of time where you need to carry both notes books or do you transfer your post it noted notes to tge new note book.
Because I scan the handwritten notes into my notes app once I have finished the third/fourth pass, I never need to carry any notebooks with me unless I intentionally decide to take them with me.
ruclips.net/video/fwrs-zn9jLM/видео.html
I am a huge fan of hand-writing! I have a daily gratitude journal and I add my artistic creations in there as well.
Love my fountain pens also!!
Goldspot pens is another resource. I just Goulet and Jet Pens a lot .. just made an order today.
Paper is the way, the truth and the life. Beware of apple notes. It may turn your notes to toast.
I read in austin kleon's book "steal like an artist" that we need to play with ideas on paper, in real life, because on the computer, we start editing ideas before we have them.
Analog work makes our ideas flow, sharpens our senses through manual work.
and honestly, my creative work never improved as much as when I started having an analog and a digital station for my work :)
I completely agree. Within a few minutes of developing an idea on paper, I am going much deeper than I would have done on a computer or iPad..
I am an organisation freak! I also love fountain pens and I am a constant writer. But I am a housewife and the kids have grown up, so I have nothing to organise any more 🙁 My husband has control of the financial side of things so I have nothing to do there either, which is fine.
I'm also old school in that I like my Filofaxes (I use one as my 'capture' notebook). I like to be able to take pages out and to arrange them as I see fit. With a notebook I would sometimes get stuck with needing another page and I'd have to add it later in the book. Or I'd have gaps where I thought I would need more space and then didn't use it. With a Filofax (or similar) I could simply slip another page in when I needed it. Because I have nothing to organise in them, they have become journals for different subjects, so at least I get to write.
I'd love to be organising something again, but the only way I can see me doing that is through a job. I am in my mid fifties, semi disabled and am autistic too. All of that makes me undesirable for employers. Even B&Q wouldn't want me! 😉
Awww, Filofax was The first organiser I had. Your writing about it brought back some very fond memories. Thank you for sharing.
Where is your back shelf from?
It's from a local Korean carpenter.
You are the next one to switch to “analog”.
Welcome!
Until, after the first hype is over, you realise that you lost a lot in the process …
Like the backup, the weight of the notebook you are carrying, the flexibility, …
If I’m on the move, I record my voice on my phone or watch, transcribe it, transfer it to my digital system.
It’s lightweight, simple, back upped, flexible, …
About anyone I know is returning to the digital version of task management after the analog honey moon period is over.
Especially now that AI is going to assist us in the process of planning and organising our days.
I wish you a lot of luck with your pen and notebook system and I see you back in the digital AI assisted world in the future ;-)
This is just for initial planning stage part of the process. I gave digital 10 years to convince me it was better than pen and paper and it never did. Once I have the initial planning complete, I scan the paper note to my notes app, pull out the main points and proceed from there.
The most important thing for me is it gets me away from a screen. It gives me time to slow down, think (I mean properly think things through) before moving back to the digital world where 100% of my output is.
Hi Carl! I just discovered your channel today. I loved this video and I completely agree with what you said in minute 6:31. I will look further into handcrafted planning. Thank you!
You are very welcome, Daniela
Another brilliant video on analog. The other thing some overlook is that your brain proccesses written notes/writing very much differently than digital/keyboard. I highly recommend the $$$ Smythson Panama Bookle (UK) the size of a small thin wallet with 150 pages of patented paper.(250 sides - the last a year) and take fountain pen inks perfectly. Keep these old school productivity hacks coming!
You are right there. I've noticed better thought processing when I sit down with a pen and piece of paper with no screens in sight. (Ah, the Smythson notebook, beloved notebooks of the late Queen Elizabeth, and the Pamana is certainly on my bucket list ££££)
Half-full notebooks all over the place? Why is everyone looking at me...? Actually I mostly do planning on a screen but am seriously thinking of going back to pen and paper for the reasons you suggest.
Ah, that's why I only allow myself too current notebooks. My planning book and my scribble pad.
I keep a Diary everyday and write and doodle in it. I love the magic of pen and paper…the smell…the sound…the visual experience. I have modern glittery inks…old inks…school inks…I don’t have a good fountain pen at the moment though. Thank you for sharing your planning…🥰p.s. Decades ago I did a course in Calligraphy but don’t practice but love watching people write…
Ah, my next move is writing my journal on paper (again). Five years ago, I went digital, and now I'm hankering back to the old pen-and-paper ways.
A trend I’m here for! Have loved your content for work and really tried to stick to all digital, but at work I’ve had to keep taking notes in a paper notebook. I’ve accepted I need a mix: my work team is on google, shared team projects and tasks in Asana, but for my personal life: analog. I missed it and it’s working! (And don’t our eyes appreciate the relief?)
They sure do. That's possibly why when I finish at the end of the day, I like to sit down with my planning book and just continue some brainstorming without a screen in sight.
I'm curious - as a lefty myself - how on earth do you manage to write using a fountain pen? I've tried numerous times, but my hand smears the ink. I have a sinulat, albeit less pronounced, issue with Biro pens. I usually write with something beneath my hand to avoid dragging it over the ink. You must have to endure a pretty uncomfortable hand position to counter this?
Hi Kat, I'm an "underwriter", which means my hand rests underneath the writing line. This video provides an exceptional explanation. > ruclips.net/video/IypzgWiN1GY/видео.htmlsi=wtDReOEUbbp_yWDS
When i was in university, i discovered Whitelines. It’s a notebook, and they have a few types such as lined, dotted, grid lines. The unique thing about them is that they have an app where you can upload your notes by taking a photo of them. The quality is great and the one thing I loved about using Whitelines was that the lines didn’t show up on the digital copies. My notes would look neat and orderly. I would just take out my phone to read my notes whenever I had a few mins to spare wherever I was out.
Ooh, Whitelines look interesting. Thank you for the tip.
I will make a todo on Apple Reminders to do this
Can anyone say which Rhodia notebook this is? The lines, open spaces, margins seem perfect for my use. Is the line space "college ruled" or "wide"? Thank you!
it's 8mm lined ruling with margin and frame at the top