Size matters! Stuck again!!

G

gator

0
I think David Allen quoted an old adage once "The man with one watch knows what time it is. The man with two is never sure"
I'm a sales professional that works from home and travels usually by plane every 2-3 weeks for business. I handle incoming leads, prospect for new opportunities like most sales people.I use my Blackberry for contact, calender, and @ errands list all synced with Outlook on my laptop.
My issue.... On my desk right now I have a beautiful Levenger Leather Foldover notebook in both letter size and junior size. Both have notes and lists in them as I am so stuck on which size to use. But wait! I also have a "cheap" spiral notebook that is a half inch wider and taller than the junior Levenger that I thought I'd try. The letter size feels great to write on as it has so much room, but bring it to a meeting, in a car, or on a plane. too big. The Jr. size feels great in the hands, portable to use anywhere, but I always feel a little cramped writing in it. The cheapo notebook, feels a bit better, but not perfect. I actually wrote Levenger and asked to make a leather foldover in between letter and jr. but I'm sure it won't happen. So my friends I actually have 3 watches "notebooks" but I am as lost as ever!!!
 
Foldouts are your friend.

Take an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. Circa punch one of the narrow edges. Fold it in half, leaving a little bit of margin so that the holes are clear. You can now put a letter-sized sheet into a junior-sized Levenger notebook.

I do a lot of my brainstorming on 11 x 17 sheets. Those don't fit *anywhere.* But fold them in half, and you get 8.5 x 11.

I also like to turn a junior-sized notebook sideways, creating a more portable 8.5 x 11 spread. Works better with blank or grid-ruled, rather than lined pages.

Katherine
 
You haven't quite explained where you lists are - electronic or paper? I think you're saying that the bulk of your GTD lists are on paper.

It also sounds like you're keeping notes in the same container as your lists. I would identify what you're using each pad for. Have something small and handy for taking paper capture for your inbox, and have something comfortable for taking meeting notes and the like. And have a place where you only keep your lists. At least that seems sensible to me, but maybe too much to carry to you!

I'm currently trying to get to carrying a portable "inbox folder" having picked up the tip from some of DAs podcasts and a youtube video of his workplace. It will help me to remember when working or in meetings or the car that I'm collecting, NOT processing - I was muddling the two at times. Just waiting for a stationary order to arrive to try that out!
 
Thanks for the ideas. I may try my Jr. foldover side ways with the ltr. size spread. I prefer just to carry around my Blackberry for cell/contacts/email/calender/errands lists, along with one notebook for my notes and lists.I have played around with index cards as well, just can't figure it out!!
 
kewms;69776 said:
Foldouts are your friend.

Take an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. Circa punch one of the narrow edges. Fold it in half, leaving a little bit of margin so that the holes are clear. You can now put a letter-sized sheet into a junior-sized Levenger notebook.

I do a lot of my brainstorming on 11 x 17 sheets. Those don't fit *anywhere.* But fold them in half, and you get 8.5 x 11.

I also like to turn a junior-sized notebook sideways, creating a more portable 8.5 x 11 spread. Works better with blank or grid-ruled, rather than lined pages.

Katherine
Click to expand...

nice idea Katherine. I love to keep 8.5 x 11 sized paper as well.
 
matters of size

I like 8.5x11 binders but they are too bulky often, so I carry a 5x8 Moleskine with my Next Actions, Calendar, and Projects List and keep my 8.5x11 binder with lists, Project Plans, and Reference in my briefcase, which is usually right next to me and never further than my car.

I use a 3x5 in a Jotter as a UCT. I appreciate why people would like using a Blackberry but it is not dependable or fast enough for me. I need to be able to write within 1-2 seconds all the time, rain or shine.

JohnV474
 
Same Problem Here

JohnV474;70461 said:
I like 8.5x11 binders but they are too bulky often, so I carry a 5x8 Moleskine with my Next Actions, Calendar, and Projects List and keep my 8.5x11 binder with lists, Project Plans, and Reference in my briefcase, which is usually right next to me and never further than my car.

I like the idea to use the Moleskine as I can't get hold of Levenger Stationery in the UK, but was wondering how you split it so that you don't get the problem of running out of Next Action/Projects List sections?????
Click to expand...
 
rossbale;70633 said:
JohnV474;70461 said:
I like 8.5x11 binders but they are too bulky often, so I carry a 5x8 Moleskine with my Next Actions, Calendar, and Projects List and keep my 8.5x11 binder with lists, Project Plans, and Reference in my briefcase, which is usually right next to me and never further than my car.

I like the idea to use the Moleskine as I can't get hold of Levenger Stationery in the UK, but was wondering how you split it so that you don't get the problem of running out of Next Action/Projects List sections?????
Click to expand...

This is very easy, though it might annoy the neatniks of the world...:

My Moleskine is JUST for To-Do's, which means my Calendar, Project List, and Next Actions.

First page of my Moleskine is my Index, and this receives a labeled tab sticking out the side of the notebook. That Index has the titles of all of the pages in the book.

Second "section" is the Calendar, which has two tabs: This Week (one page) and Next Week (another page). I put in one month of pages at a time, and write the page numbers on my Index (that way, all of September is in one area, etc.). I have other pages for "future dates" that go beyond what is currently entered, which I refer to as I put each new month in.

Next "section" is Projects List, which receives a tab. If my Projects List goes beyond one page, then at the bottom right corner (i.e. where my eye would be after finishing reading), I draw a large arrow to the right and put a circled page number, telling me that is where to pick up where I left off. Of course, the second Projects List will also go into the Index. The second page receives a large left arrow at the top left of the page, pointing to the page number (circled) where the previous Projects List ended.

The next "section" is Next Actions, which currently only have a single Next Actions tab, as the pages are all together. As one list gets too long, I put an arrow with a circled page number to take me to the next @Computer, for example). A corresponding left arrow at the top left of a page tells me where to go for the previous @Computer entries.

In time, I may get to a point where I could have 4-5 pages of @Phone, for instance, but since each page holds 40-some items, by the time I have so many, I could easily clean up and rewrite a fresh page.

What this means is that you can take my Moleskine and find what you want through the Index or through the tabs.

ANOTHER APPROACH, which I do not currently take, would be to put, say, an Index page or two, then 10 pages or so for Projects, then put your entire calendar (a Moleskine usually gets full within 3-4 months of use), perhaps a week per page. THEN, starting from the BACK, start your Next Actions and work backwards. Eventually your Next Actions and Calendar will butt heads and it will be time to get a new Moleskine.

If I were to do this I would probably put my Next Actions up front and the rest in the back, because I look at Next Actions more often.

This is a variation of David Allen's suggestion of making a notebook a more effective planner by starting from the back for COLLECT, and have everything up front orderly.

Hope this helps! It works for me, and I can still find the information I need faster than most people can whip out their iPhone. :-)

JohnV474
Click to expand...
 
kewms;69776 said:
Foldouts are your friend.

Take an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. Circa punch one of the narrow edges. Fold it in half, leaving a little bit of margin so that the holes are clear. You can now put a letter-sized sheet into a junior-sized Levenger notebook.

I do a lot of my brainstorming on 11 x 17 sheets. Those don't fit *anywhere.* But fold them in half, and you get 8.5 x 11.

I also like to turn a junior-sized notebook sideways, creating a more portable 8.5 x 11 spread. Works better with blank or grid-ruled, rather than lined pages.

Katherine
Click to expand...

Katherine,
Thanks for the idea. I've never really used grid paper (as an adult ) but I bought some and I'm using it with my Levenger foldover JR. Size notebook. So far so good!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top