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Reasons to use a paper-based task manager

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4 reasons to use a candle-based desk lamp:

1) You have to go to sleep when the candle burns out.

2) You can always get more wax from bees.

3) Gives off a pleasing aroma.

4) Take it anywhere you go!

1) Nah, the glow of my monitor will keep me going

I've tried just about every web/mobile/desktop todo list out there, and always end up back at pen and paper.

Every night, I list out the things I want to get done the next day. I strike these tasks out throughout the day as I do them. At night, I destroy the list (burn it if we have a fire going) and make a new list. After writing out "Setup split test experiment on blog CTA" a few nights in row, it becomes painfully obvious that it either needs to get done ASAP or it's not worth it.

With software-based todo apps, it's too easy to overload your list, which leads to starting each day depressed over how much you have to do that day.

I've tried just about every todo list app, too. I keep ending up back in Things.

I think it's a very personal choice. It's just a matter of finding a style that works for you.

> 1. Forces brevity

> 2. It's always available / It never crashes

> 3. Awesome Weekly Summary

> 4. Take notes anywhere

On 1.) This is something ultimately up to oneself, I could have a larger notebook, or use multiple pages. Brevity more over is about self-discipline in accurately describing tasks. It can also be double edged in that not enough information or vagueness may increase effort require. This is something digital tools can help alleviate by allowing for additional information (todos, comments, etc).

On 2.) Sure, paper beats the redundancy of digital or online tools, but let's not forget about the power and utility they can provide as well.

On 3.) Digital tools by contrast can work around this exceeding well and in detail (calendars, weekly iterations, etc).

Finally on 4.) Sure, I won't argue against papers innate redundancy, but I feel like digital services convenience me just as well with mobile & web apps (as long as I can get the full site though :P).

Anywho, my long drawn out point is : these strengths can be applied elsewhere, and just as well. For instance, I use Trello as a scratchpad about various things I have going on. I've got about 11 or so person boards. Writing things down and applying a method to limit work in progress is really the corner stone of getting things done in my opinion. Just my two cents.

I agree about the brevity. I don't personally see it as terribly important. As the article points out, once you're in the habit of tracking things, it does mean they absolutely will get done! But to my mind this suggests you should have more space, for keeping track of as many items (large or small) as required, rather than less.

(I just maintain an A5 notebook with a list of tasks. I let them build up as required, cross each off once done, and clip the edge of a page once all its tasks are resolved. Makes it easy to find the remaining items.)

It really depends on the individuals learning style. For me, more room for more stuff is not better.

> For instance, I use Trello as a scratchpad about various things I have going on. I've got about 11 or so person boards. Writing things down and applying a method to limit work in progress is really the corner stone of getting things done in my opinion.

I use trello extensively. I always have an "In Progress" list and an "On Bat" list. "On Bat" maxes at 5 items, "In Progress" always has two items per person on the board (and it should usually only be one item).

I do something similar, I've commented on it in the past: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6466150

Although not mentioned there is that I exclusively limit work-in-progress to one item.

Probably an ad hominem, but why would someone who has over 7000 tweets and who appears to be tweeting every 3 hours need to carry an additional pen + paper.

Wouldn't he have his phone anyway? I wonder why are so many "digital natives" still preaching the advantages of pen an paper over digital texts today.

I mean, that's answered directly in the article: phones run out of battery, Twitter isn't as each to reach for as a notebook.

I don't use this guy's specific method, but I've spent the past few months using pen-and-paper as well, and it just works very well for me (using the Bullet Journal technique: bulletjournal.com). I suspect this kind of thing varies wildly from person to person, though.

The other aspect for me is that I can write better on a book with bound paper pages, than I can on a smartphone. I can type much better than either of those input methods, on a proper keyboard. But if I don't have a proper keyboard, I'm more skilled with a pen than with a simulation of a QWERTY keyboard on a 4.5" touchscreen.

But if you go to a meeting somewhere and you would have to choose between pen/paper or a smartphone which would you choose?

Typing speed may not be an advantage of phones [1] but your colleges will not see what you have planned. I could write these thoughts I'm writing right now on paper for myself but I'm "thinking" with you.

Maybe it's hard to argue about it because these two things seem superficially similar. But like paperless offices, paperless note taking/planning will win in the end.

[1]: to be fair, you have been writing with a pen since you're 5 or 6. Most people never wrote anything on touchscreens bevor 2007.

If I was at a meeting, I'd certainly write on paper; that's one of the easiest cases! For one, it's more socially acceptable to be writing on a piece of paper than to be looking at a smartphone. When you pull out a smartphone, everyone assumes you're just doing something else (checking email, chatting on IM, whatever).

I use a mix: write the "bullet journal" with OneNote, print it, and continue with a pencil.

I'm that guy and I always have my phone. But, I'd be willing to bet that from a standstill with nothing in our hands, I could write down a task to my Corbinizer faster than you can find the app, launch it, type it in and save.

I was excited about Siri as a final replacement for the Corbinizer, but even now I'd rather not scream my tasks at my phone during a meeting.

I wonder why are so many "digital natives" still preaching the advantages of pen an paper over digital texts today.

Different technologies have different qualities, I still find a small notebook and an A4 zipping folder indispensible. Paper is fast. For idea development, scribbling on lots of paper is still one of the best tools available.

Pen + paper is freeform - i can include sketches easily.

Pen + paper allows me to rip out a sheet and just give someone a note without having to worry about connecting phones or exchanging email addresses.

It's just nice to use a different medium sometimes.

The Affordances of paper are quite significant. We're still years, maybe decades, away from digital technology as easy to use, as intuitive, and adaptable as paper.

I read (in a random book, while standing in a bookstore) that handwriting is an integrative activity, where tapping a screen or typing on a keyboard is far less integrative.

The book said that people have input (reading, viewing, touching, etc.), processing, and output. When the outut has a focused kinesthetic element (like handwriting does), it integrates the conclusions of the processing into memories and neural connections much more deeply.

Can someone who knows about this stuff confirm or deny?

Personally, I find writing notes by hand to be satisfying and flexible. Yes, I have a gadget in my pocket and I use it where I know I don't need anything but text or photos. But my first choice for write-once memory is my blank book and a pen.

The photograph in that article contained such a powerful dose of hipster that it transformed my laptop into a pair of skinny jeans.

http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-the-hipster-...

It's amazing. It record tasks, notes and ideas, especially it shows the battery life on the corner to indicate that the week is burning out. Unfortunately, there are only four days in a week. Depending on how many days you are working, maybe four days is enough. Or if you work for seven days a week, you can use the note page for additional days and leave the last page for notes. This way, we can physically count the number of days in a week passed, so quickly.

Regardless of how much writing I do on my laptop, I am never without a sketchbook and pen. Indispensable tools.

Really, those coffee cup + pair of glasses + partial macbook photos still haven't gotten out of fashion?

It might be, but when my daughter showed me the photograph she took - I was sold. She's 15.

The folding mechanism probably came first on http://www.pocketmod.com/ which allows you to build your own organizer by drag and dropping modules.

You're 100% right. However, I wasn't happy with their final product.

Scribbling my tasks on the back of an envelope or receipt or whatever and keeping it in my pocket somehow makes the tasks more immediate or urgent feeling with their physical presence, however small, and the urge to physically scratch them off (satisfying) and ultimately throw away the scrap of paper (very satisfying) can occasionally be the straw that breaks the camel's back to get up and get the thing done!

I've used Moleskine daily 12-month planners on and off over the years. Effective & stylish. And then easily archived at the end of the year.

This makes a lot of sense to me, I'm going to try something similar, thanks.

I made my own task manager this weekend: https://github.com/trengrj/autofocus

I think that the problem with digital task managers is not that they are worse than paper-based ones, but that a task manager is a very personal thing. Unless you are a programmer it is hard to find one that suits your needs entirely.

Writing is better than typing in many ways. It engages the mind more, while at the same time calming it.

I'm 50-50 on this. I try to use the mobile for 2Do, but doesn't work as well as I would like... Especially the part where you have to take a note on the run: No matter how fast you're with your mobile's keyboard you can't beat paper.

just get a galaxy note =P

For myself I think paper might work better at remembering the task. Because I've always remembered things better if I write them down with my own hand.

Anecdotally, I find that I think differently if I am just thinking thoughts in my head, vs writing them down on paper, vs typing on a keyboard, vs writing them on a whiteboard while standing, vs speaking to someone, vs speaking into a recorder.

Paper is great for tracking small things while I'm working in some task, but how do you take paper notes on non-text data like URL's or images..?

I think I'd use it as a reminder for time/task management to boost the daily performance and productivity, not for information capturing.

... because for all of the advances in computer technology, writing on paper is still a superior user interface for a multitude of purposes.

For those interested in a system:

http://www.bulletjournal.com/

I find that keeping a ziplock with pieces of papers (one task per piece of paper) solves most of my task planning.

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