The new year is close and I figured I was due to try a planner/notebook review! I usually don't...think about how I did or didn't use my notebooks, but there have been some things that made me think 'I should write that down. I should keep track of that better.' (/▽＼);;
To start, my Hobonichi Weeks! I use it for just about everything, from writing down appointments and errands, to keeping lists and passing thoughts.
I'm not too concerned about layouts or anything, but I think next year I want to start tracking repeated medications/vitamins better. 🤔 I don't use the monthly layout(s) at the front—except for remembering character birthdays (❤´艸｀❤)—so I think putting stamps or some sort of indicator to remember might be helpful!
Next up, my Brownie Techou! It's gone through the most change this year. It started as a divination planner, where I would record my spreads and maybe do a small blurb about how I interpreted them, but I am not consistent on when I do card readings and even my should-be monthly readings have been happening more towards the end of the month (...speaking of (/ω＼*)……… (/ω•＼*) I need to do one before midnight, LMAO).
I did utilize one of the monthly layouts for the monthly readings, at least!
But around October I had started doing 'morning pages (columns)'. Some Tarot-Tube/Tarotube channels had mentioned doing a daily writing routine and their stationery tools, and of course, I wanted to try something new and appreciate an excuse to get back into past interests (fountain pens).
Due to the layout of the Brownie, you can either position the planner vertically or horizontally. I tend to place it vertically for the slimmer montly layout and horizontally for the weekly. I find the 'column' space works well for me (and then I flip it to be a 'row' to write for Sunday), since I don't really need to write a whole bunch in the morning? But, like anything, I forget to write in the morning so sometimes I write much later in the day. I did start adding timestamps of when I start writing and I want to keep doing that for the new year.
I did shift my divination recording to the larger monthly page. It's just the name of the cards, but maybe if I focus on specific decks per month then I'll include the deck names. 🤔 I think that might be better in the long run but we'll see!
Lastly, my Hobonichi Techo Original/A6! I was gifted this by a good friend and just had to figure out how to use it! 😤😤 At first I was going to use it for sometimes-daily writing, but after watching a video about setting up a "life admin" notebook, I decided to give that a shot!
The set-up is pretty basic, I would say? I have sections for: References, Inbox, Follow Up, Tasks, Projects, Future Tasks/Ideas. Stuff has definitely been written down, but the execution... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Sometimes I'm on top of stuff and sometimes I'm not, pffft!
The 'References' and 'Projects' sections have probably been used the most. When I know I need to write stuff down and don't want it to get "lost" in my Weeks it goes into this book.
I think for next year my main goal thing will be Actually Using this notebook! 🤣 This is a "it's not the set-up, it's me" situation, and I'm sure if I keep it nearby, write, and then Do My Silly Tasks, I will be better for it.
There are a handful of other notebooks I have scattered around, like my writing discbound, my reading/watching log, my gaming notebook, and probably 5 different sized 'catch all's. I hope that going into next year I can make the most of all of my books and stationery goodies, and it turns into visible momentum and productivity for me!
Let's all have a wonderful new year! ✨