What is in Your Book?
Recently, I was sitting around with my Bomber Jacket Levenger Circa, going through some notes I had taken. My wife sat down next to me and started talking about some subject that meant a lot to her. So I stopped what I was doing and listened. Then she finished her point and paused. “Are you going to write this down in your book?”, she asked.
That got me to thinking…
My family has learned that some of the most important things I deal with go in my Circa. Many times, I will be working in my “book”, and one of my two children will sit next to me and ask what I am reading or writing. They know that is an important “book” to me, and that to some degree, I would be lost without it.
Most of the items I enter are work or schedule related. But sometimes I can allow myself to lose touch with my areas of focus…or as Stephen Covey calls them…roles.
Sometimes, we tend to forget that there are a lot of things we need to capture in our systems outside of work and career.
I advocate keeping everything, for all of our areas for focus, in one system as much as possible. My Circa is the hub of my system. That being said, it is important to properly receive input from all of our areas of focus to 1) keep our system complete, and 2) maintain balance in our approach to all we do. I also believe that it is best to think through our weekly reviews with our areas of focus in mind. We should do at least one thing each week to push forward something important in every area of focus in our lives.
Sometimes, it may even need to be somewhat symbolic to take note of some input from a loved one. Truth is, my family knows that if it is important to me, it goes down in my book. So if it is important to them, and they see me write it in my Circa, it makes them feel important, because they can see that it is important to me as well.
Very good advice Jason. I use Circa as well for many things because it’s versatile and allows me to write anything, anywhere, and organize it in one place.
Thanks, Scott. Completely agree on the Circa.
Do you have problems with people (usually family) feeling slighted when you don’t write in your notebook/Circa after they finished talking (or during)? Do they want to know why what they said was not important enough to be noted?
My kids are noticing my “books” more and more too. I have started doodling and sketching in my journals too…sometimes my boys help me…i think it lets them feel important in much the same way as you describe in your post.
People laugh when they overhear me tell my wife to e-mail me or when I give her an index card to write me a note re: some plans she has made for us. If I do not have my calendar handy when she tells me about it I am not likely to remember.
In fact, I rely so heavily on my in-box system, rather than my memory, that I do not know how I ever lived without it. I get much more done when I do not have to rely on my imperfect memory for tasks and actions.
I am a recent convert to the Bomber Jacket Circa. I noticed that I had several notebooks that were filling fast. One is a personal journal, one a job-only notebook, and another a notebook for my freelancing. Plus, I am soon becoming a Dad, so I knew there was notes and things other things I would want to organize in one place. So, I was able to use the Circa and have tab dividers to keep mental separation between the facets of my everyday existence. My wife thinks I’m a total nerd for keeping such a notebook, or binder, as she calls the circa, but she does appreciate the fact that I do have an entire section for my family goings-on. It shows to her that I’m not going to be a work-a-holic when the baby comes, that there will always be a place for my family.
Jason, I have enjoyed your posts, which I’ve just discovered. I too am experimenting with Circa (I’m a long-time GTDer too). When you say it’s the hub of your system, and that you are now 100% paper-based, could you describe it a bit more? Are your contacts and calendar electronic? I have had a lot of flipping back and forth from Omnifocus/iPhone back to paper-based systems, and I’m still not quite satisfied for long. Thanks, Claudia
I know, you are always getting quality content for us. Im just starting using the circa systems, it looks nice, but if you can give me some advices, it would be great!
Hm..not sure though I would replace my moleskine
@Katy I was the same way once…but you will find that there are so many notebooks that are much better than Moleskine. I probably will not buy another Moleskine. I am in love with Rhodia pads as well as Doane Paper tablets and mini-notebooks.
Thanks, Jason, this is nice advice.
I second Claudia’s post. I have went back and forth between relying on my iPhone or programs on my computer to then going back to paper and I’m never satisfied. I would love more information on your system.
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