The Ultimate Bedside Capture Tool

T

timjamesbrennan

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Often I need to capture some thoughts whilst in bed - but I am often too tired to get out of bed to write them down. So I am brainstorming the best way to capture these.

I am thinking a small white board would be good as it is very easy to write and that's good when your half asleep. Perhaps a very small white board that can be grabbed from under the bed would be a good idea - not sure if would be good in the dark.

Anyone got any tips for this situation?
 
iPod touch

It has typing functions for notes, drawing functions for images and (with a mic) recording functions for longer ideas (dictation). Plus alarm and calendar functions and syncing with your computer. (wow! That sounded like an add.)

But I really do use it for all these things, and much more. Its my main capture tool. Well worth the $200.

(you could get the iPhone but who needs the bill?)
 
Cell phone notepad!

Doh! So simple, so always available. Woohoo! I love the simple (and already paid for) things. Now I just need to practice with T9.
 
timjamesbrennan;80857 said:
Anyone got any tips for this situation?
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I keep a stack of scrap paper and several pens on my nightstand.

The real tip is to practice writing without turning on the lights.

To do that start by closing your eyes and use your non-writing hand (I'm right handed so I use my left hand) thumb and forefinger to make a a space to write in, I print, not script and space things out. With practice you can get several lines on a single sheet of paper, just move your marker fingers down the page one finger width to write the next line. I found that practicing writing in the dark so that I could read my notes in the morning was a much better investment of my time.
 
Oogiem;80869 said:
I keep a stack of scrap paper and several pens on my nightstand.

The real tip is to practice writing without turning on the lights.

To do that start by closing your eyes and use your non-writing hand (I'm right handed so I use my left hand) thumb and forefinger to make a a space to write in, I print, not script and space things out. With practice you can get several lines on a single sheet of paper, just move your marker fingers down the page one finger width to write the next line. I found that practicing writing in the dark so that I could read my notes in the morning was a much better investment of my time.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting technique I am going to try. I also like the pen tied to a notepad.

For a while I had an LED light up pen with a pad of paper for writing in the dark. I used it a few times, ever since I bought a white board for the wall i've been looking to get one for the bed side table too.

Just last weekend I discovered this kid's toy which writes with a magnet pen - it's as easy to write with as a white board, but no mess. If only there was an adult version :)

http://www.elc.co.uk/Super-Scribbler/118161,default,pd.html
 
Previously I had written the iphone off the apps that I tried weren't fast enough, but I am giving it another shot with an app called simplenote. seems pretty quick and it syncs with my computer using an application called notation velocity. I'll report back once I've tested it out properly, but so far I think it might be my favourite so far.
 
I tried keeping pen and pad in the bedside table and it just didn't work for me. Too lazy to turn the light on and scribble something.

Also tried iTouch and that didn't work either. The voice recording function requires the ear plugs to be attached and then I have to click and press three times just to get to the voice recorder - too much work...so didn't work.

I am thinking of getting a digital voice recorder. Although I must say I don't wake up in the middle of the night with ideas in my head (which would annoy my better-half). It's usually when I go to bed and before I fall asleep.
 
Capture

I find that the more I practice GTD (especially trying to use the weekly review trying to capture things via mindsweeps), the less I wake up in the middle of the night with stuff I need to write down! (or have ideas in the shower that I need to write down). I have a pads near the shower and next to the bed, but rarely (once every few weeks) use them!

I find that the guided mindsweeps via GTD connect (there are at least two that I have used, one by Kelly and one by David) and using a mindmap mindsweep I got from MindManger work really well.
 
rsailer;81510 said:
I find that the more I practice GTD (especially trying to use the weekly review trying to capture things via mindsweeps), the less I wake up in the middle of the night with stuff I need to write down! (or have ideas in the shower that I need to write down). I have a pads near the shower and next to the bed, but rarely (once every few weeks) use them!

I find that the guided mindsweeps via GTD connect (there are at least two that I have used, one by Kelly and one by David) and using a mindmap mindsweep I got from MindManger work really well.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the best solution as the iphone can apparently cause side effects for those who are sensitive to em radiation.
 
digital voice recorder

rdgeorge;81215 said:
Anyone suggesting a voice recorder must not be married...........

rdgeorge
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got me ;-)

but I also use it while in the car. so it makes sense to me to have one.

but unless you scream into it you barely wake your "neighbor". Or do you have to write down so many things? in my case it s just some keywords or just a question to myself or one sentence. nothing that takes more then 5 seconds..
 
I sleep so well.....

I almost always crash the second my head hits the pillow so it's pretty rare that I have anything to capture. But just in case I have a 3x5 card and pencil on the night stand. If I have to write something down, it's just a word or two and my penmanship is pretty horrible...but I can usually read it without too much problem.
 
I have been using an Android phone - the Nexus One running Gingerbread for 2 weeks and it could be the ultimate bedside capture tool.

I have set it up with one button press to launch Google's Voice Commands. This allows me to say something like "Note to self, buy more milk at store", and the phone emails the voice recording to me with a transcription (not too accurate but still useful) to my inbox.

I am looking into setting a rule in Mac Mail to automatically send it to Omnifocus.

So far I am very impressed at how quick and easy this technique is.
 
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