#ProdChat – 05/17/2017 – Paper-Based Productivity
On 05/17/2017, #ProdChat discussed the topic, Paper-Based Productivity, hosted by productivity coach, Natalie M. Houston. Watch the slideshow to see what the productivity enthusiasts on #ProdChat had to say about “Paper-Based Productivity.” Enjoy!
Questions:
Q1: What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Paper-Based Productivity”? #prodchat
Q2: Are your current productivity tools mostly digital, mostly paper, or a mixture of both modes? #prodchat
Q3: What are some paper-based productivity systems you’ve heard about or experimented with? #prodchat
Q4: What are some benefits of using paper notebooks, planners, or to-do lists? #prodchat
Q5: What are some drawbacks of using paper notebooks, planners, or to-do lists? How do you manage those challenges? #prodchat
Q6: What are some of your favorite paper notebooks, planners, index cards, sticky notes, etc? #prodchat
Q7: What’s one thing from tonight’s #ProdChat that you’d like to try over the next week?
Raw transcript:
| User | Tweet | Time (GMT +0) |
| nmhouston | Welcome to #ProdChat, the weekly chat for productivity enthusiasts! https://t.co/79gjvvb5te | Thu May 18 00:02:24 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Today on #ProdChat we’re discussing Paper-Based Productivity. Join us! https://t.co/bWXJywEA5z | Thu May 18 00:03:00 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | First, intro yourself! Tell us a bit about you and your interest in #productivity! #prodchat https://t.co/4dUyhvKRGW | Thu May 18 00:04:23 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | I’m Natalie, an English professor & productivity coach. I help people move forward on the projects that matter most to them #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:04:48 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | Frank Buck from Alabama. I write and speak on organization and time management. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:06:06 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @nmhouston I am good. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:06:29 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @DrFrankBuck hi Frank, how are you doing this evening? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:06:49 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | While we wait for everyone to arrive — what’s a productivity success you’ve had this week? #prodchat https://t.co/qHSjhTHDyJ | Thu May 18 00:07:39 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | Put finishing touches on convention presentations for the summer. #productivity success #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:09:10 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | As tonight’s host, I’ll post questions as Q1, Q2. Answer with A1, A2 for clarity, and don’t forget to add #prodchat… https://t.co/JGRWYdYLh3 | Thu May 18 00:09:46 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @DrFrankBuck @DrFrankBuck that’s a great feeling to get those done early! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:11:00 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | My productivity focus has been setting up and implementing my summer schedule — different routines, etc. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:11:50 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @nmhouston Yes. New, unexpected opportunities always show up. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:11:56 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | Hello from Ohio! #ProdChat | Thu May 18 00:12:03 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q1: What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Paper-Based Productivity”? #prodchat https://t.co/dsFnbh01Qn | Thu May 18 00:12:31 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | Hello, Jeff! @ProSourcePrint #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:12:34 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @ProSourcePrint hi Jeff, welcome! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:13:13 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A1 The trusty paper planner from yesteryear. Day-Timer or Franklin. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:13:40 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A1: Old fashioned way of doing things. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:15:11 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A1 Paper-based productivity might mean a whole system, or components of your approach. Lots of possibilities #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:16:00 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A1 It’s interesting both of you associate paper with older methods. It’s certainly what I started out with! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:17:17 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q2: Are your current productivity tools mostly digital, mostly paper, or a mixture of both modes? #prodchat https://t.co/khd3R8IuN5 | Thu May 18 00:17:42 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q2: Are your current productivity tools mostly digital, mostly paper, or a mixture of both modes? #prodchat https://t.co/khd3R8IuN5 | Thu May 18 00:17:42 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A2 Calendar, take, contacts, and notes are digital. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:18:41 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A2: tried all digital but the reality is that paper has its place. I write, then scan. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:18:50 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A2 I use a combination of digital and paper tools. My calendar is digital, but project/action planning I do on paper. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:19:18 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A2 of course, spreadsheets and documents are digital as well. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:19:29 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @ProSourcePrint @prosourceprint yes, a good scanner really helps with combining paper and digital approaches! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:20:18 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A3 The one part of my life that is paper is a journal for phone call and meeting notes. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:20:47 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | @nmhouston I use my iPhone and scan directly into @evernote. I haven’t used a real scanner in years. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:21:20 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A2 I also find I prefer to take meeting notes by hand, because it helps me pay attention. Then scan or transfer to action lists #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:21:43 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @ProSourcePrint How well does @evernote recognize your writing? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:22:12 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | @DrFrankBuck @evernote Very well! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:22:35 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q3: What are some paper-based productivity systems you’ve heard about or experimented with? #prodchat https://t.co/Sl4WWE8bUQ | Thu May 18 00:22:53 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @nmhouston I agree there. Hard to type and uphold my end of the conversation. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:23:24 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @ProSourcePrint @evernote I use my phone for some things, esp on the road, but love my Fujitsu ScanSnap for longer documents. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:23:57 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A3: Bullet journaling seems like a lot of work. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:24:09 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A3 Used Day-Timer for about 10 years. Used ScanCards for several years in the 80s #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:25:03 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A3 Franklin-Covey, Day-Planner already were mentioned. Bullet journal works really well for some people. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:25:57 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A3 There is TimeDesign, which David Allen used. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:26:05 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A3 Haven’t understood the appeal of Bullet Journal. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:27:18 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A3 anybody else remember the Hipster PDA? https://t.co/WZ6OMeGGx3 I’ve carried index cards in my bag ever since. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:27:23 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:27:42 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A3 Where do you write down the task you want to do next Thursday? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:27:56 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | Did somebody say Hipster PDA? 😀 #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:28:02 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A3 and @MichaelHyatt just came out with a paper planner designed to help with focus and productivity. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:28:16 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | Bullet journaling is easier than it looks once you get into it. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:28:55 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @ArtGelwicks hey Art, welcome to #prodchat! | Thu May 18 00:29:13 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @nmhouston @ArtGelwicks Thanks! Better late than never. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:29:33 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @ArtGelwicks But where to you out tasks planed for future days? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:29:41 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q4: What are some benefits of using paper notebooks, planners, or to-do lists? #prodchat https://t.co/DIxZoONWi5 | Thu May 18 00:30:07 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | At this point any paper system would have to be in a loose leaf binder to merit consideration. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:30:56 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @DrFrankBuck @ArtGelwicks That’s one of the strengths. Because it’s index based you can do it wherever works best for you #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:31:02 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A4 Input is easy. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:31:16 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @DrFrankBuck Take a look at disc bound journals. The benefits of a bound journal with the flexibility of a loose leaf #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:31:32 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | A4: No batteries. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:31:46 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A4: Paper is better for getting it out of your head quickly, taking notes and adding sketches. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:31:54 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A4 For me, writing longhand encourages reflection in ways that typing does not. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:32:46 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | A4a: No digital device is lighter or more portable than a Field Notes notebook. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:33:08 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @ArtGelwicks I have seen those. Especially like that you can have 2 sizes but the small pages will still fit the larger planner. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:33:19 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | A4b: I get to use my fountain pens! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:33:24 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A4 #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:34:02 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A4 retention s better. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:34:26 +0000 2017 |
| 2Patra | Ahh, I did same before, have since #prodchat https://t.co/ZON0XM3Zld | Thu May 18 00:34:41 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | Analog is much more raw and intimate than digital #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:35:12 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A4 Generational differences, habits, brain styles all contribute to whether longhand works well for you. Always experiment! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:35:12 +0000 2017 |
| 2Patra | Finally in from Tai Chi. Neuroscience confirms this. #prodchat https://t.co/o93F6gL5Hm | Thu May 18 00:35:26 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @2Patra hi Patricia, welcome to #prodchat! | Thu May 18 00:35:58 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | Evening, #productivity enthusiasts! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:36:37 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q5: What are some drawbacks of using paper notebooks, planners, or to-do lists? How do you manage those challenges?… https://t.co/xckkKq1tMZ | Thu May 18 00:36:45 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | Hi Ray! @rsidneysmith #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:37:04 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @rsidneysmith @rsidneysmith hi Ray! glad you could stop by! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:37:26 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @DrFrankBuck Hi, Frank! How’s it going? I’m just back to my office after @gtddc. I made it! 🙂 #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:37:33 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @nmhouston I’m more glad than you! ;-P #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:37:57 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A5: you can lose paper, forget to scan, etc. some handwriting is hard to read. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:38:20 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @ProSourcePrint @MichaelHyatt here’s a link: https://t.co/DvL6pNXhPZ #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:38:28 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @rsidneysmith @DrFrankBuck @gtddc Going well. Glad you are able to join. I #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:38:32 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | A5: It can be tough to connect data points (tasks to projects) and update copious amounts of data fast and accurately. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:38:55 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A5 Search #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:39:22 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | A5: We have to do the organizational and administrative work we would normally pawn off on the computer when using analog. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:40:03 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | A5: A task list with everything on it can be overwhelming, whereas with digital you can usu. filter to see only a select few. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:40:12 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A5 Paper archives are harder to search. Scanning helps, but it doesn’t fully remedy. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:40:24 +0000 2017 |
| prodchat | RT @DrFrankBuck: A5 Search #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:40:30 +0000 2017 |
| prodchat | RT @nmhouston: A5 Paper archives are harder to search. Scanning helps, but it doesn’t fully remedy. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:40:49 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A5 Handling long URLs is tough with a paper system. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:41:53 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A5 with analog lists you know when your list gets too long! that’s a drawback for some but for me that constraint is a plus #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:42:09 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @DrFrankBuck That’s crossing the streams…don’t do that. 🙂 #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:42:18 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A5 File cabinets. Never happier than when I got rid of the two big metal ones I used to have. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:43:03 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @ArtGelwicks @DrFrankBuck That’s as bad as handwriting a bibliography or works cited page! Eek! 😛 #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:43:17 +0000 2017 |
| 2Patra | @ASJA conference last week, several made same point so had moved to Evernote but then had 2 b smart on keywords 4 s… https://t.co/Ng6JSd7OiK | Thu May 18 00:43:18 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | I miss the card catalog in the library. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:43:28 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @ArtGelwicks A Dewey D. fan in the house. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:44:06 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | I could find anything. The critical thinking and analysis that comes from organizing analog information is empowering. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:45:00 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q6: What are some of your favorite paper notebooks, planners, index cards, sticky notes, etc? #prodchat https://t.co/sdJ2h6Z1NC | Thu May 18 00:45:16 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @ArtGelwicks Try explaining that system to kids today an they look at you like you have two heads. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:45:20 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A6 Field Notes was mentioned earlier. Great stuff. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:46:06 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @DrFrankBuck @ArtGelwicks And that makes me sad. There is strength in understanding how information works. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:46:16 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | A6: Midori Travelers Notebooks, Field Notes, and Staples ARC Notebooks. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:46:47 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @DrFrankBuck @ArtGelwicks Same in law school, trying to show law students how to Shepardize cases using paper-based… https://t.co/v3wOjcOocg | Thu May 18 00:46:54 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | A6 Oh, and did anybody see Shark Tank where you erase the stuff in your planner by putting it in the microwave? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:47:17 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | @ArtGelwicks yes, some the interfaces that supposedly “make it easier” are terrible for teaching critical research skills. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:47:18 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | A6: Levenger Circa system. #prodchat https://t.co/ljJ4xdsp7g | Thu May 18 00:47:39 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @DrFrankBuck The Rocketbook, right? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:48:19 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @ArtGelwicks Very true! We need understand the logic and then let technology provide the speed. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:48:41 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @DrFrankBuck It’s a basic notebook that relies on Frixion pens. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:49:06 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @rsidneysmith Yes! I think that was what it was called. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:49:18 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A6 I’m a big fan of Black n’ Red notebooks. Once I found my favorite, that’s all I use (though I find deluxe notebooks tempting!) #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:49:34 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | It’s interesting that Moleskine weren’t mentioned. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:50:45 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A6 For those of us who use analog tools, picking pens/paper you like, encourages you to use them more! aesthetics matter #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:51:07 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @ArtGelwicks I guess we all assumed someone else would say it. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:51:19 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A6: Piccadilly are great but I wish they would lay flat. I just got a Black & Red. We’ll see how that works out. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:51:20 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @DrFrankBuck I’m not much of a fan of Moleskine as I used to be. Their quality has slipped over the yeara. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:52:20 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A6 I also use plain letter size white paper on a clipboard for certain kinds of notes. Like the freedom of a whole blank page. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:52:40 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A6: I also have my own branded pens. Stylus and ballpoint. I buy 500 at a time and leave them everywhere. #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:53:17 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A6 interesting nobody mentioned pens 😉 do we need a separate evening for that? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:54:04 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | A6: For notebook and pen fans out there, @baronfig put out a new pen today. https://t.co/UGXsEEQMgg #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:54:09 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | A6: #prodchat https://t.co/51FHdJM9HC | Thu May 18 00:54:24 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | @nmhouston A pen discussion could go on for hours #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:54:31 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @nmhouston great idea #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:54:44 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @nmhouston Ha! I just did. 😉 And, I’m a Montblanc collector. We should do a pen topic sometime soon. (inclusive of smartpens) #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:54:55 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Q7: What’s one thing from tonight’s #ProdChat that you’d like to try over the next week? https://t.co/C1y87m84if | Thu May 18 00:55:58 +0000 2017 |
| ArtGelwicks | A7: Looking forward to my new fountain pen coming tomorrow. 😀 #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:57:11 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | A7 all this talking about notebooks has me ready to make a cup of tea and sit down with mine this evening 🙂 #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:57:47 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Thanks #productivity enthusiasts for today’s #ProdChat! Join us again next week for “Note-taking for Greater Produc… https://t.co/CLBZ4w3ISj | Thu May 18 00:59:03 +0000 2017 |
| DrFrankBuck | @nmhouston Great topic! #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:59:41 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | I’m curious – do you throw away the paper once scanned? Or do you keep it in the notebook and just start a new page? #prodchat | Thu May 18 00:59:41 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | And check out the #prodchat Storify tomorrow from @rsidneysmith! | Thu May 18 01:00:13 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | RT @nmhouston: Thanks #productivity enthusiasts for today’s #ProdChat! Join us again next week for “Note-taking for Greater Productivity”!… | Thu May 18 01:01:08 +0000 2017 |
| w3consulting | RT @nmhouston: Thanks #productivity enthusiasts for today’s #ProdChat! Join us again next week for “Note-taking for Greater Productivity”!… | Thu May 18 01:01:08 +0000 2017 |
| prodchat | RT @nmhouston: Thanks #productivity enthusiasts for today’s #ProdChat! Join us again next week for “Note-taking for Greater Productivity”!… | Thu May 18 01:01:08 +0000 2017 |
| BernieMixon | RT @nmhouston: Thanks #productivity enthusiasts for today’s #ProdChat! Join us again next week for “Note-taking for Greater Productivity”!… | Thu May 18 01:02:14 +0000 2017 |
| nmhouston | Thanks @DrFrankBuck @ProSourcePrint @ArtGelwicks @2Patra for joining tonight’s #prodchat! See you all again soon! | Thu May 18 01:02:59 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @nmhouston @DrFrankBuck @ProSourcePrint @ArtGelwicks @2Patra Thanks for hosting, Natalie! Awesome #productivity topic today! #prodchat | Thu May 18 01:03:47 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | @ProSourcePrint I’m frugal. I will actually scan a page multiple times if I’ve continued on the page so that the pe… https://t.co/GbF120w4xM | Thu May 18 01:05:20 +0000 2017 |
| ProSourcePrint | @rsidneysmith I tend to use one page per topic, scan and then move to the next page. I like keeping both written an… https://t.co/q9RTtUOFaP | Thu May 18 01:06:48 +0000 2017 |
| rsidneysmith | Join #ProdChat for our next #productivity topic! https://t.co/NJDSyG0EeI https://t.co/L7jjNycC9J | Thu May 18 17:00:31 +0000 2017 |