Notebook

• Literacy, the ability to read and write words, is one of the more important tools we have in thinking because it allows us to write down our thoughts, making room in our short-term memory for more thoughts. Notebooks are a proven way to capture your writing. Leonard da Vinci’s notebooks are famous, and many more great thinkers have used this simple device to go farther.

• There are all kinds of notebooks available these days, from the simple spiral-bound notebook that kids use in school every day to fancy (and expensive) leather-bound journals. There are even high-tech journal/pen combos that will copy your journal entries right into your phone.

• Think first about the size you want. Some people may want a big notebook with lots of room to draw and write while others may want a small book they can fit in their back pocket. The goal is to keep this notebook within reach most of the time, so think about what you carry around. If you have a purse, find a notebook that fits. If you carry around a backpack, you might be able to have something bigger.

• Next, think about the kind of paper you like. For some people, lines are critical: they don’t feel like they can write without lines. For me, I like to combine my writing with sketches, so I prefer unlined paper that’s a bit heavier. I usually go for an 8.5 x 11 or slightly larger sketchbook from a craft store.

• There’s no reason you have to limit yourself to one notebook, either. Have a big one for home and a little one to carry around if that works best for you.

• Lastly, I recommend that you put the date somewhere on each page as you write. I often forget this, but it helps when you’re trying to combine notes and ideas from different sources. Bucky Fuller wrote the date, time and his location on Earth on all his notes, and filed them away in what he called his “Chronofile.” As with everything, find a system that works for you.

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