Your Little Black Book

It's not what you think.......

So I've discovered something about myself. I realize that although I spend ALOT of time in front of a computer, I'm still a big fan of pen and paper. When I first started out, I went to my local dollar store and purchased one of those little black composition books. I take it everywhere (if I could figure out how to make it waterproof, it'd probably follow me into the shower.

If an idea strikes me, I can write it down no matter where I am. At the grocery store, no problem! An appointment at the doctor's office (check!). Sitting at gymnastics practice (yes, please!). I can jot down ideas, start blog posts or anything else.

I'm a week into my journey and still at the point where I have many more ideas than website (I'm going to get there one day!) so I use my notebook a ton. I think it will be fun to one day look back on what my ideas were when I first started once I get more time under my belt. I have ideas down that I know I can't do for a long time, but they are in a place that will allow me to refer back to them when the time comes. The blog post I'm writing right now was developed within the recesses of my little black book.

I even have used my little black book to lay out a tentative schedule of what I would like to accomplish for the upcoming week. Now that I've written it, I can hold myself accountable. Plan to work and work the plan.

I even keep it at my bedside so that if I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea (which happens often), I can write it down and go right back to sleep (it has helped me to sleep better). I can write about it and forget about it until I need it, rather than letting it roll around in my head keeping me awake for hours for fear that I'll forget it.

Now I'm not saying that you have to take a notebook everywhere, but I do highly recommend something that allows you to brainstorm. There are a million apps that allow you to take notes should inspiration strike. How many times have you been somewhere and you think to yourself (I've got to write that down!) only to have forgotten to do so by the time you get back to your computer.

You never know when inspiration is going to strike. Don't you want to be ready when it happens?

What kinds of things do you use to take notes and brainstorm your ideas? Are you a pen and paper person? Do you prefer apps like Evernote or OneNote? Do you use a more unique method for capturing your ideas? Let us know. I look forward to your feedback.