A Pocket Journal Will Save Your Mind

An antidote to overstimulation and information overload

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For years I struggled to keep a journal.

I kept reading about how great journaling is for you, but I couldn’t stick with it!

I tried a dozen different journals. Some had too many features, others had none, but at the end of the day, I didn’t like them because I felt constrained.

If I didn’t use them the way they were designed, or fill up the whole page when I wrote, it felt like I was using them “wrong”.

So then I tried digital journaling using the Notes app on my phone.

The problem with that is I’d open my phone to write a note, and 15 minutes and 5 cat videos later I’d be sitting there doom scrolling social media, and have completely forgotten what I was gonna write.

Digital journaling was a no go.

But then I discovered pocket journals, and it changed the game for me.

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I’m someone who always has ideas bouncing around in my head.

Ideas from books, podcasts, or videos. Ideas for how to be a better programmer. Ideas for what I wanna do in the future, or things I could’ve done better in the past.

I put ALL of these ideas into my pocket notebook, and use it as an organization system for everything that runs through my mind.

Instead of limiting myself to only writing certain things, or using it as a diary of sorts, I use it as a catch-all. A brain dump, that I can go back to and make sense of later.

My system is a bit chaotic... I might write a journal entry, make a list, draw something, or just randomly write thoughts on a page. But what’s important is that I’m getting it out of my head, and onto paper.

The thing that has helped me consistently keep the habit of journaling, is to get rid of the idea that there’s a “right way” to journal.

The right way is the way you’ll actually do.

The best journaling system in the world is worthless if you don’t keep the habit…

But why does writing stuff down even matter?

For me, the answer is simple…

Using a pocket notebook has saved my mind.

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There’s this quote that Field Notes uses with their notebooks that I really like.

“I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now.”

When you write something down, you’re much more likely to remember it. (Especially when you write it down physically, with pen and paper).

Not only that, but it has the added bonus of clearing your mind’s working memory, freeing you up to have more ideas, and do better work.

This is important because when you’re trying to remember something, but you don’t write it down, it stays in your mind in the background.

(In psychology they call this an open loop.)

So when you’re right in the middle of something and you get interrupted, your brain is gonna keep that in the back of your mind all day. When you need to buy milk from the store, and instead of writing it down you say “eh, I’ll remember it”… same thing.

When enough of these little unfinished tasks add up, they eat away at your mental and emotional energy throughout the day.

So by writing things down right away, you free up your mental energy for your most important work.

And more importantly for me, using a pocket notebook helps you think clearly.

In a world where the average person consumes 34 gigabytes of information a day (over a 300% increase since the 80’s)… it’s crucial that we learn to filter through the noise and find the good stuff.

We’re being bombarded with more information than ever before, and it’s why things like information overload and burnout are becoming more and more common.

Using a pocket notebook, for me, is a step back to simpler times. I can take it to a park, or just sit outside my house, and write thoughts as they come to me.

This process also reminds me to audit what I’m consuming, and not be constantly filling my brain with new videos, articles, books, and movies.

You’ll be amazed what happens when you shut off the constant flow of information coming IN, and allow your mind to actually work with what’s already in there.

So grab a notebook, any notebook, and start writing more. Write when you’re bored. Write when you’re inspired. Write when you’re sad. Write when you’re grateful.

Replace some of the constant consuming (through our phones), with creation in the form of writing your thoughts.

You’ll be glad you did.

Thanks for reading,

— Josh

P.S.

These are some of my favorite pocket notebooks, if you want a place to get started.

Moleskine Pocket Notebooks - Nice, but kind of expensive

Fieldnotes Notebooks (On Amazon or you can order direct from their website)

Rettacy Notebooks - The best value, hardcover, and built in bookmarks. Definitely my favorite.