Several of you have asked about my use of the Moleskine journals (new laptop). Which journals do I use and exactly what do I use them for?
I use two Moleskine journals daily. The smaller, lined journal is called a “Pocket Notebook,” and is what I use to stay on top of everything I need be be working on. It is essentially a list of tasks and projects. I have blogged about it before and you can see the basic set-up at Hyaline Skies.
The second is a large, blank Notebook, which I call my workbook. I am still tweaking how it functions, but for the last year I sketched out most of my work and ideas in them, and then created final drafts on the computer. My workbook includes sermon perparation, blog ideas, brainstorming for ministry, etc. For example, the other day Steve and I sat down to work out details for an exciting project we are working on and everything went into the Moleskine. That work follows a couple pages where I sketched out ideas for our Christmas sermon series. I go with blank pages because I often diagram, brainmap, and doodle my thoughts. It also allows for greater freedom in writing across the pages horizonatally or vertically. Steve and I were also recently talking about the workbook idea and the value of numbering the odd pages and creating an index in the front for the more important work that we would want to reference in the future.
This is not for everyone. I am sure many of you remain far more organized with other systems. This is just what works for me.
I am the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship; husband to Jen; Dad to Katherine, Elias, Madeline, and Kilian. If you're in town you can probably find me in the local coffee house or running through the neighborhoods.
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Joe, it is good to hear another pastor’s org system. I too am a Moleskine user… I have used the lined ones for my sermon prep but I like what you said about why you use the unlined – I may have to give it a shot.
Joe, this is very helpful. Do you have any other way besides indexing to keep up with active threads in your workbook – paper clips, bookdarts, etc.?
It’s never been a problem for me. Not yet anyway. Sometimes, If I am in the middle of something, but have to move on to another idea, project, etc. I just leave blank as many pages as I think I’ll need and then start the next thing. If I want to connect one part of some work to another I simple note “continued on page xxx” or “continued from page xxx” at the bottom of the page. All the odd pages are numbered by hand when I get the Moleskine.
Joe:
I’m also a Moleskine user, and avid long-time reader of your site (your recent post on elder development came at the right time for me!). Just wanted to point you to a great site I found recently. It was a great present to me, and around Christmastime, it may be for you as well. Check it out here: http://renaissance-art.com/ . They offer custom-made leather bindings for Moleskines. I had mine engraved with my name, and they also installed a much needed pen loop. Great stuff, and well worth it. Grace to you,
Derek
Hi Joe. I have a question about your system: how does it link to email?
In my work most things I do are represented by an email, so I run a modified version of GTD using different folders. This works very well as I have a Blackberry which links to the Exchange server, changes on Outlook or Blackberry are always in sync. I see the benefits of your “new laptop” in terms of disconnecting etc.
So, do you run GTD with emails as well as Moleskine? If you get an email that requires action do you just put it into your pocketbook?
Christian, I have scrapped much of the GTD system. I use no tickler file, and only use an alpha file. Contexts lists were largely useless to me. I do a lot of comm’ via email, and the blackberry is a huge help. All tasks simply go into the “inbox” of my lined notebook, and everything else that requires more than one step (projects) goes in the back and is indexed in the very front. If a task has a reference I note that under ref on my task page so I know where to go (email, project, book, etc.)
My assistant takes care of a lot for me, so that is a huge help.
Thanks Joe. Yes, I agree with trimming the GTD system down to the minimum that works. No ticklers for me, I put those in the diary or send an email with a “do not deliver until” timestamp. I use the Noguchi system for everything in my filing cabinate – every file goes to the front. Works brilliantly and at the end of the year the files at the back can usually be binned. I keep a “wishlist” which is mostly full of book recomendations.
Hey Joe….ran across your site in a blog search and it’s great to see what other pastors are doing to be organized…
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